Dear Editor,
We learnt through the media that the two top managers of the Transport and Harbours Department were dismissed by a government minister. No trial, no enquiry, no questions or opportunity by the dismissed to offer an explanation.
As one well acquainted with the Transport and Harbours Department at several levels, the reasons for the dismissals are surprising. I recall as far back as the terrible Colonel Teare, the British General Manager of Transport and Harbours Department, one of the concessions which the Transport General Workers Union gained was for management to support initiatives by the unions to secure the welfare and wellbeing of workers at all levels. As far as I am aware, the succeeding general managers honoured this commitment/agreement.
The Sports Complex on Thomas Lands was considered the centrepiece of this agreement and collaboration. For a variety of reasons this structure fell on hard times. The Mayor and City Council during a routine inspection condemned the building as unfit for use. If, as it appears, management expended funds to rehabilitate the building, this is in keeping with its mandate agreed more than half of a century ago. If this be the case, where is the crime to warrant such punitive action?
I’ll avoid other references save to ask the public, the political, trades union, civil and social leaders, human rights activists and those who shout for justice to ponder words of Cassius in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world [Guyana] like a Colossus; and we petty men walk under his huge legs, and peep about to find ourselves dishonourable graves, – Men at some time are masters of their fates: The fault Dear Brutus [Guyanese] is not in our stars, but in our selves, that we are underlings.” May I add this – in all human history, peace and justice did not come to mice by men.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green, JP
