Dear Editor,
You might be aware that the University of Guyana Students Society (UGSS), the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA) and the University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU) have decided on strike action in the form of a ‘sit in’ at the University of Guyana. The initial period for this action is Tuesday, February 7 to Friday, February 10. That means the lecturers will turn up to classes but they will not teach and the administrative staff in the faculty offices and the registry will be present but will not be able to assist students or provide services for them.
Many students (and some staff) have stated that they are not aware of the reasons for this action. Understandably these students find it difficult to support the daily midday protests and impending ‘sit-in.’ Some mistakenly believe that it is only about ‘Freddie’ and argue that the action taken against Mr Kissoon has no impact upon their course of study and lives. Others believe this is about politics – that those protesting are motivated by a political agenda aimed at undermining the PPP/C government.
I would like to assure students that this action is largely in support of them. We are cognizant of the fact that without students there will be no University of Guyana. On the other hand, without lecturers and other support staff, students will remain uneducated. We are fighting so that Guyana’s sole tertiary institution is rescued from political interference. We are fighting so that university staff members are not victimized for opposing political views. We are fighting for a Council that acts in the interest of the university and one that does not serve narrow political interests. We are fighting for better working conditions and salaries for all categories of staff. We are fighting for quality education for all of our students.
We believe that the Council acts in a manner that is biased, unaccountable and lacks transparency. Below are two recent examples:
1. The termination of 4 lecturers’ contracts by the University Council on procedural grounds that they were improperly issued by the Vice-Chancellor. The lecturers affected were Dr Patrick Williams, Mr Kissoon, Mr Claudius Prince and Mr Loris Bancroft. Following the terminations, the Council indicated that while new contracts (part-time) could be issued to Dr Williams, Mr Bancroft and Mr Prince, Mr Kissoon must not be employed in any capacity at the university. Mr Kissoon as I’m sure you know is a well-known critic of the government and this action smacks of political victimisation. However, the students have become collateral damage in this apparent battle between Mr Kissoon and the government. They are being punished because the second semester has started without lecturers for those courses taught by Mr Kissoon. Moreover, there is no replacement lecturer. For me as an academic, what makes this action very troubling is the fact that the rationale for termination, that is, poor performance, was not a consequence of an evaluation from his academic peers but the evaluation of government appointees, who have no qualifications themselves to evaluate Mr Kissoon’s work and performance. We cannot allow political appointees in the Council to determine who departments can employ as academic staff. In all universities worldwide, it is departments and faculties which determine staffing needs. We want this principle and practice acknowledged and respected at the University of Guyana and the original contracts, recommended by departments and faculties, regularized and reissued.
2. The Council employed a performance-based mechanism to recently reappoint Mr Daizal Samad as Director of Berbice Campus and Mr John Seeram as Bursar. The motivation therefore behind the decision to advertise the position of Registrar, held by prominent opposition member Vincent Alexander, notwithstanding a positive performance evaluation, is viewed with suspicion. Let me be frank.
The disparate treatment of the three cases has understandably aroused fears of ethnic and political discrimination among some at the university. The demand of the three unions in this instance is that either all the positions are advertised then filled or all are filled on the basis of a performance evaluation. Let us have fairness and parity in the treatment of our staff.
Apart from the preceding demands which we believe can be fairly easily resolved if we stand united and firm, we are also fighting for an overall enhancement of the conditions under which the students study and under which the staff works. Students are well aware of the problems – unhealthy and insufficient toilet facilities, poorly ventilated and lit classrooms, filthy, garbage-filled classrooms, inadequate furniture, broken furniture, and no classroom aids (some don’t even have blackboards and why are we still almost solely using blackboards in the 21st century?). Many of the lecturers are not much more educated that those they teach. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not criticizing lecturers with only first degrees.
They would have graduated at the top of their class and been identified by departments as great students who would make quality lecturers. However, they need further training and the university needs to assist in funding their continued education either locally or overseas.
Almost all students take ENG 115 in their first year. As the university intake increases, the lecturers of ENG 115 have been forced to teach between 1500-1700 students yearly with virtually no resources – no paper, no ink, no photocopying machine, no classroom aids. Students are forced to sit outside the GWLT as it is packed to capacity and there aren’t enough tutors. The consequence of such a learning environment is that yearly about 1/3 of students who sit this course fail. Meanwhile in the science and technology faculties, lab equipment and materials are either non-existent or obsolete. Medical students reported that they do not even have a cadaver and sufficient microscopes. Everyone is learning virtually. These conditions are unacceptable. Most students are currently not receiving the type of education that will effectively equip them for the working environment and which will help our country to develop. They deserve better. They must insist on better, irrespective of their political stance and affiliation. We must all demand decent quality tertiary education.
A loan was negotiated between the Government of Guyana and the World Bank to rehabilitate the Science and Technology labs. We know this is urgently needed. While the entire campus will not be rehabilitated with this loan, it is a start in the right direction. We were advised that the document has been on the desk of the Minister of Finance since June awaiting his signature. If the loan agreement isn’t signed speedily, the university will lose the US $10 million. We cannot accept this with the current unhealthy, unsafe and unproductive conditions of our labs. We are demanding that the loan be signed and that a transparent process/system be adopted to oversee the rehabilitation process.
Our other demands are related to the salaries and remuneration paid to staff. Our cleaners are paid between $19,000 and $25,000 per month. This is below the minimum wage. Some have been working at the university for as long as 13 years and are still temporary – that is they are given a contract every three months.
This means the people who most need it have no pension and health benefits. The daughter of one member of the cleaning staff wrote CSEC and gained the necessary qualifications to enter the university. Although her mother has been working at UG for 13 years, she is not eligible for a waiver because her mom is still temporary. These are some of the circumstances under which staff members work. Meanwhile non-academic clerical staff members are not paid much more. Lecturers’ salaries are also abysmal – way below what obtains in Guyana’s public and private sectors with similar qualifications and experience.
As you can imagine, our salaries certainly do not compare with what is paid to lecturers at universities in the region. That is why many programmes cannot be offered because few will work for the salaries offered. That is why so many lecturers have only first degrees.
That is why some lecturers resign in the middle of the year when they get a better job offer. That is why some lecturers have two and three jobs on the side and are late for or sometimes don’t even come to class. We acknowledge that this demand to enhance the salaries and emoluments will not be met immediately, but the negotiation process must start.
Like the students, we the staff want this crisis to end and the semester to commence. This is why we have written to the Chancellor, the President and the leaders of the political parties in Parliament asking for their intervention. We are hopeful of positive responses and a speedy resolution to this impasse.
We ask for understanding and support from the students. For the first time in a long time all the unions on campus (students and staff) have joined together in a concerted action, and in unity there is strength.
Yours faithfully,
Mellissa Ifill
Vice-President UGSSA
