WE the community of workers of the University of Guyana, do hereby and hereon sign this petition as a Vote of No Confidence in Professor Jacob Opadeyi in his capacity as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Guyana. We affirm that we have no confidence in his ability to administer the affairs of the University of Guyana, the premier educational institution of Guyana.Whereas Professor Opadeyi, having responsibility for the day to day management of the institution is deemed responsible for the following infractions which are either: illegal, based on the Laws of Guyana; against the Statutes of the University of Guyana; or, unethical and opposed to the best interest of the University of Guyana:
1. Blatant disregard for the Terms of Resumption Agreement signed March 2, 2015 by the University Administration and the two staff unions;
2. Eroding the powers of the Academic Board as prescribed in the statutes of the University of Guyana;
3. Compromising academic quality and integrity for the sake of cutting costs;
4. A dictatorial, vindictive, micromanagement leadership style that is characterised by dishonest and deliberately misleading communications;
5. Altering terms and condition of work without consultation with employees;
6. Failure to honour contracts with employees, including illegally withholding legitimate payments due to staff;
7. Circumvention and breach of university financial systems, practices and procedures;
8. Financial mismanagement and impropriety including, but not limited to, system override at the bursary;
9. Repeated failure to meet legal obligations to transfer deductions from workers’ salaries to various bodies;
10. Failure to provide a safe and healthy working environment;
11. Unreasonable and inhumane treatment of staff;
12. Failure to provide faculty and workers with basic tools of the trade;
13. Failure to provide appropriate spaces, facilities and equipment for effective teaching and learning;
14. Exorbitant executive cost and size with little consideration for UG’s indebtedness;
15. Poor productivity of the Executive;
16. Unjustly and dishonestly staining the public image of the University and its staff;
17. General failure to act in the best interest of the University.

With consideration for the aforementioned infractions and in the interest of the University of Guyana and the nation it serves, we petition the Council of the University of Guyana to remove Professor Opadeyi as a matter of urgency. We further petition the Minister of Education, The Honourable Dr. Rupert Roopnarine, and His Excellency David Granger, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, acting through appropriate parliamentary and consultative mechanisms, to ensure that the Council of the University of Guyana acts in the interest of the University and the nation of Guyana.

DR. MELLISSA IFILL