GTU’s President, 2nd VP seek High Court intervention to overturn suspension, remove Coretta Mc Donald as General Secretary
GTU President Dr. Mark Lyte
GTU President Dr. Mark Lyte

 —says her role adversely impacts engagements with the government, as decisions tend to adopt a political bias

THE President and Second Vice President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) have approached the High Court in Demerara with a Fixed Date Application (FDA), challenging their suspension and calling for the removal of the union’s General Secretary, Coretta Mc Donald.

Mc Donald, a prominent member of the A Partnership for National Unity – Alliance for Change (APNU-AFC), is at the centre of the escalating dispute in the labour organisation. GTU President, Dr. Mark Lyte and Second Vice President (VP), Julian Cambridge (the applicants), argued that their suspension was unlawful and improperly executed.

GTU 2nd Vice President, Julian Cambridge

In addition to seeking an overturn of their suspension, the men are demanding the removal of Mc Donald, alleging misconduct and failure to act in the interest of the union. They contended that the General Secretary’s continued tenure threatens the integrity of the organisation, creating an untenable environment for collaboration and progress. Lyte and Cambridge are seeking a declaration:

“That, on a true and proper interpretation of the Constitution of the Guyana Teachers’ Union, Coretta Mc Donald is not entitled to lawfully hold the position of General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers’ Union, or any other elected position in the Guyana Teachers’ Union, while she holds office as an elected member of the National Assembly.” They highlighted that her role as General Secretary adversely impacts engagements with the State, as decisions tend to adopt a political bias.

Lyte and Cambridge contended that this, in turn, creates challenges in effectively negotiating with the State and adequately representing teachers in the public sector.

At the core of the applicants’ case is the claim that the suspension was carried out without adherence to due process. The President and 2nd Vice President asserted that they were not given adequate notice or a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations against them. Recalling their suspension, they stated that on December 17, 2024, a motion was introduced during a meeting of the GTU General Council to suspend them from their duties with immediate effect, pending an investigation. According to them, the motion was approved by a majority vote of the General Council. “The applicants were given no notice of the motion before it was brought and were given no opportunity either to be made fully aware of the case made out against them or to properly put forward an answer to the motion or to request that they be suspending from duties as President or Second Vice President. They were not made aware of what exactly needed to be investigated,” the FDA stated. The applicants noted that the motion that resulted in their suspension alleged that they acted unilaterally by entering into an agreement with the government to end last year’s industrial action between the State and the GTU. However, they have refuted this claim, asserting that their actions were not unilateral but were instead based on decisions made by the General Council of the GTU. They stated that letters signed by Mc Donald were sent to various agencies, including the Ministry of Education, Education International, the Caribbean Union of Teachers, and the Ministry of Labour, notifying them of their suspension. They further alleged that their offices were padlocked by GTU officers.

General Secretary of the GTU, Coretta Mc Donald

Lyte and Cambridge submitted that General Council was improperly constituted when it decided to suspend them, as Mc Donald “was not lawfully entitled to hold her position in accordance with Rule 3 of the GTU Constitution.” They explained that, under this rule, a Member of Parliament cannot hold any office within the union except that of Immediate Past President.
Mc Donald, however, has been an elected member of the National Assembly since 2020.

They have urged the court to expedite the hearing of their application, emphasising that they have been barred from performing their elected duties, and no investigation has been conducted more than a month after their suspension. The GTU officials further highlighted the urgency of resolving the matter, as they need to complete their responsibilities ahead of the GTU elections scheduled for April 2025. They also noted that the suspension can only be appealed at the triennial conference, which coincides with the upcoming elections.

Lyte and Cambridge are represented by attorney Kamal Ramkarran.

In addition to Mc Donald, the respondents named in the application include GTU representatives Mariska Williams, Meon Crawford, Joseph Decunah, and Elecia Barker.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.