THE Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has expressed dissatisfaction at the manner in which Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has been reassigned to the Ministry of the Presidency, but posited that the party’s position in the multi-party coalition government is not threatened.

Hinds made the comments on Tuesday afternoon reacting to the news of Dr Roopnaraine’s shift from the Ministry of Education to take charge of the Public Service in the Ministry of the Presidency. Executive member of the WPA, Dr David Hinds, said that while the party is awaiting a meeting with President David Granger on the matter, the WPA plans to impress upon the Head of State, the need for broader consultation within the coalition government. On Tuesday afternoon, a brief statement was issued by the government on Dr Roopnaraine’s reassignment to the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP), with direct responsibility for the Public Service.

Hours after the statement was issued, Dr Hinds told the Guyana Chronicle at the National Library that the party convened an emergency meeting to discuss the issue. He said that while the party is aware that Dr Roopnaraine may have “health challenges, “ the party is not aware that this may have played a role in his reassignment. “We are awaiting a meeting with the President in which we will discuss the matter at length,” Dr Hinds noted, as he spoke highly of Dr Roopnaraine’s ability to manage a ministry. “We feel that he was well qualified for that position”, he said.

Dr Hinds noted that if beyond the imminent meeting with the President the WPA is not satisfied with the meeting’s outcome, it would prefer additional consultations. According to him, he has documented regularly the need for consultation at the level of the government, noting that it is one of the “weaknesses” of the APNU+AFC administration.
As regards the announcement of the Education Minister’s reassignment, he said that the WPA was “amused “at its timing, noting that it was made on June 13th, the date on which the party’s founder Dr Walter Rodney was assassinated. “We are amused by the fact that you would announce on the anniversary of the assassination of Dr Walter Rodney, this kind of Cabinet reshuffle which in the minds of the population we can understand, they will see as some kind of demotion”, a vocal Dr Hinds noted.

He said that the WPA would have preferred the entire issue to be undertaken in a consultative manner, noting that the party would have advised against the June 13th timing. He noted too, that while the announcement may not have been done in a “malicious “manner, it was done insensitively.
As regards the party’s role in government, Dr Hinds said that as a part of the coalition, the WPA retains a ministry, noting that “whether that is long term, we don’t know.” He noted however, that it is unlikely that the party’s place in government would be threatened.
Meanwhile, Dr Hinds noted that the party is worried at the manner in which Dr Rodney’s legacy is treated by government.

He said he knows of the political differences which may have existed in the past between the late historian and the former PNC administration, however, he noted that other parties which make up the coalition has not been sensitive to Dr Rodney’s contribution to the society. “He was more than just a politician or political activist,” Dr Hinds noted , adding that the late orator was probably the most famous Guyanese scholar of the 20th century , as he singled out his contributions to the country , the Caribbean and farther af