–Marcel Hutson on reinstatement as Chief Education Officer

MINISTER of Education Priya Manickchand on Friday opened her address in the 2020 Budget by announcing that Chief Education Officer (CEO), Dr. Marcel Hutson was being reinstated to his position at the Ministry of Education (MoE).

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on his reinstatement, Hutson said he is not looking to focus on what caused his removal from the Ministry, but rather what he plans doing now that he’s back.

“I am back, and I’m happy to be back, and I think that is what is most important to me, and what should be most important to the nation,” he said, adding: “What has happened in the past that has gone; this is a new dispensation, and the Honourable Minister, Priya Manickchand and myself, we are ready to roll. That is as much as I would say.”

There was much speculation over Hutson’s removal from the post since December, 2019, and as word got around, the MoE, which at the time was under the authority of then Minister of Education Nicolette Henry, issued a press release saying that he was “statutorily expected to retire on September 1, 2020,” and had to his credit 230 days of annualised leave, which he was, therefore, required to take.

As such, he was made to proceed on early retirement leave to enjoy all of his outstanding leave and benefits. The Ministry had further noted in that release that by the time Hutson’s leave was up, “he would have attained the requisite statutory age of retirement in accordance with the Public Service rules”.
The release had said that Hutson had initiated his retirement process in August 2019, and that during his absence, Ms. Ingrid Trotman would assume the role of Acting CEO.

To his credit, Hutson has never commented on the issue, nor offered any explanation as to why he was sent on leave, a stance he continued to take when asked about it on Friday.

His full response was, “The answer to everything is that I am back, and I am happy to be back, and I will serve this nation diligently, as I have done for the past 32 years. That is what is important right now; that is news. I don’t want to get into the issues. This is a new dispensation; a new season. Old things have passed away; this is a new season for me.”

What’s not clear to this day is whether Hutson’s termination was ever made effective, and if his reinstatement is a re-appointment, or a cancellation of previous retirement proceedings. Efforts made to contact Minister Manickchand on Friday for further queries on the issue proved futile.
When she made the announcement of Hutson’s reinstatement on Friday, she was at the time responding to political opposition’s continuous harping over the dismissal of several political appointees, whom they insist upon referring to as public servants.

As the Budget debates continue, the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has been calling out the Opposition for their hypocrisy, given the many persons they had fired throughout the years without merit.

“I want to welcome back Marcel Hutson; he was one of those persons who suffered at the hands of the APNU+AFC. I can give a list from the MoE of people who were fired unceremoniously, who had no party loyalty; sent home simply because they were doing their job,” Minister Manickchand shot back at the Opposition benches as she delivered before the National Assembly.

Since being appointed to the Ministerial position last month, Minister Manickchand has continuously lashed out at the previous government for leaving the Ministry without leadership or direction during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw schools being closed since March 16.

Students went without learning until earlier this month, when the Ministry began to re-engage them through a “multifaceted learning approach”, utilising such facilities as the Learning Channel, the Internet, and printed materials, which they have been distributing free of charge.