Dear Editor,
November 28 is dedicated Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow Day. On November 30, 2005, by an act of Parliament, Critchlow became Guyana’s second national hero. This country is forever indebted to Critchlow. He was the mover and shaker of post-slavery Guyana and arguably the father of the nation. He is the father of the nation because he was both a labour and political leader and shaped these institutions, which others leaders like Linden F.S Burnham, Cheddi B. Jagan and Peter d’Aguiar, who came later, built on.
In the 102 years since Critchlow led a major strike against the colonial business class in pursuit of better working conditions and wages for dock workers much sadness is befalling the union he founded and led.
The Guyana Labour Union is the oldest union in Guyana and the Caribbean, and its founder, Critchlow, the father of Guyanese and Caribbean trade unionism. Mr Carvil Duncan and Mr Robert Corbin both seem hell bent on a path to destroy the legacy of this great man.
As elected president general of the 2004 GLU Triennial Conference, Mr Corbin is the head of the union and principal custodian of the union’s Constitution and management, until his term ends December 31, 2007. Mr Duncan, the employee, has the responsibility to carry out the wishes of the union, made by the executive council, general council and delegates’ conference.
Given the distinct and specific role, authority and power of these two gentlemen, reasonable minds are dumbfounded that Mr Duncan, the employee, could boot Mr Corbin, the elected boss, from the union Mr Corbin heads. Has Mr Duncan committed a coup?
The eviction of Mr Corbin and Mr Troyer by Mr Duncan now means an unelected/unconstitutional body sits on the National Executive Council. It should be known that these persons were handpicked by Mr Duncan who has neither the power nor the authority to execute such a task.
This situation brings into serious question Mr Corbin’s commitment to the union he was elected to serve and his understanding of the union’s constitution. It is even more disturbing when it is known that Mr Corbin is a lawyer and should be in the best position to interpret the constitution. Mr Duncan’s ability to fool or outfox a lawyer should be engaging serious discussions and debates within industrial relations classrooms at the university and labour college. To the best of my knowledge this is the first time in the history of the Guyana labour movement that an employee was able to evict elected officers. It makes the situation worse, yet interesting, that the officers evicted, Robert Corbin and Stanley Troyer, are the union’s two top officers.
Those workers and current National Executive Council members who supported Mr Duncan in breaking the union’s constitution should all hang their heads in shame. There is a right and wrong way of doing things. This was the tyrannical behaviour Critchlow fought against as he pursued the upholding of rights and democratic principles in society.
I urge the members of the GLU, on the day dedicated to Critchlow’s legacy, to make a dedicated commitment to take back your union. Take it out of the undemocratic hand of Mr Duncan and those imposed executive members who now hold you and the union against your wishes.
Yours faithfully,
Edward Softleigh
