Dear Editor,
This year is designated International Year for Co-operatives by the United Nations.
Guyana is the only Co-operative Republic in the world and like many other countries has Co-operative societies of various types e.g. Agricultural, Land, Housing, Utility Services, Consumers, Credit Unions, Fishermen etc.
However in Guyana, Co-operatives should play a dominant role as part of the trisectoral economy, being the third economic sector, Private, Public and Co-operative.
Co-operatives operate in the ten Administrative Regions in Guyana and have contributed successfully to the lives of its members, and to the country as a whole. Co-operative societies in Guyana have assets totaling in excess of three billion dollars.
It is indeed regrettable, that today when this sector is the survival of many of its members, that the Department of Co-operatives in Guyana has only one Regional Co-operative Development Officer in the entire country which has ten Administrated Regions . This is totally reprehensible and unacceptable. This situation if allowed to continue will be a total embarrassment to the Co-operators and the country as a whole. Members need to be educated with respect to their duties and responsibilities of their societies. Supervision is vital and plays an integral part.
The need for Co-operative Education is the key to success. What is even more disturbing is the total neglect of the Training Institution for Co-operators. This institution which is the Kuru-Kuru Co-operative College on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway is now in a state of disrepair with the College virtually taken over by the Ministry of Education. Without any legal documentation and completely neglected without any form of compensation. This Kuru-Kuru Co-operative College must be returned to its former glory. I trust that this new dispensation which is the present Administration will, look early into this matter and not allow this year, of International Co-operation to go without ensuring that a Policy Paper for Co-operative Development in Guyana is prepared, adapted, accepted, and ratified by the 10th Parliament in this year 2012. A stakeholders commission should be appointed without delay. The Guyana National Co-operative Credit Union which is the Apex body for all Co-operative societies in Guyana both at the National and International Level, must play a vital role in being the representative Body for all Co-operative Societies in Guyana and that it is allowed to assume its role with its elected members drawn from the ten administrative regions across Guyana.
The Chief Co-operative Development Officer should not be allowed to continue appointing members to the Board. It is therefore necessary that the Regional Unions, be resuscitated in the Regions and be allowed to function, in the best interest for its members which are the registered societies.
I trust that the present Minister with the responsibility for Cooperatives ensures that Co-operatives begin to play their rightful role in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana by ensuring that the Co-operators begin to let their voices be heard in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, by ensuring that the policy paper for co-operative development in Guyana is prepared and discussed by Co-operators and presented for acceptance. That the Co-operative Department be given its full complement of staff so as to enable the success of the movement, with special attention being paid to School Thrift Societies, which are unique to Guyana and have played an important role in the lives of its young members. All schools must have legally registered School Thrift Co-operative Societies. These societies which are supervised by teachers should ensure that the teachers receive some incentive. Training for members of these societies must be ongoing. It is essential that Co-operative Officers be employed and be exposed to some training in Co-operatives and have some knowledge in Accountancy.
Long live the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
Long live the Co-operative Movement in Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Charles Conway
Former Assistant Chief Co-operative
Development Officer (Regulatory)
