Yarde says national response needed
Several opposition parties have thrown their support behind the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), as the body contemplates its next move in a dispute with the administration over a parcel of land at the corner of Vlissengen Road and Thomas Lands.
At a press briefing held at the GPSU’s Headquarters at Shiv Chanderpaul Drive and Regent Road yesterday, GPSU’s president Patrick Yarde, who was flanked by leader of the Opposition Robert Corbin, City Mayor Hamilton Green, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and Desmond Trotman of the Working People’s Alliance(WPA), said that the body remains alarmed at the government’s move to claim the parcel of land in question, noting that the union views the move by the administration as a “serious development which requires a national response”. He said that the union is consulting with its attorneys on the way forward while union members, affiliates of the GPSU further afield as well as Caricom, have been updated on the issue.
In brief remarks, Corbin stated that the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) was standing in support of the GPSU, noting that the party considers the move by the government “most reprehensible” and, “an assault by the government on the rights of workers”. Corbin said that ownership of a transport by the government of the property in question, does not state much, noting that the parcel of land was once owned by private persons before in came under the control of the PNC administration several decades ago. He said that the land was given to the GPSU as a gift noting that the records will show same. Corbin stated that the PNCR will soon air its own views on the issue at a press conference.
Dr Roopnaraine stated that over the past 10 years the government has been carrying out “a wave of attrition on the GPSU” and there was hope, he stated that the meetings held between the authorities and the GPSU would have borne fruit, noting that the entire thought was heartening. Roopnaraine said that he was extremely disappointed that such developments “took such a turn”, noting that “as long as workers are being treated by the government in this way” Guyana will continue to “hobble along” in a disabled fashion. He added that the GPSU has a compelling legal case, noting that in light of activities occurring within the country over the past two weeks, the last thing one would want in Guyana, ”are more demonstrations of lawlessness”.
Mayor Green said that the municipality stands in solidarity with the GPSU, stating that the move by the authorities was “unacceptable” and “fits in an evolving pattern leading to hegemony by a government that boasts of a return of democracy”. He said he recalled several decades ago when the plot of land in question was ceded to the GPSU, adding that the records indicate that the Georgetown Municipality has extracted taxes from the GPSU which clearly identifies the body as having ownership of the property. He termed the situation a “sad sorrowful saga”.
Yarde said that several other public figures, including Alliance for Change (AFC) Leader, Raphael Trotman, Private Sector Commission Chairman, Gerry Gouveia and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Donald Ramotar were invited to yesterday’s briefing but declined based on pressing commitments. He informed that the PPP General Secretary stated that he needed to be more informed on the issue, when he spoke to him yesterday.
According to the GPSU President, he also spoke to Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on the issue and he was told by the Prime Minister that the decision was based on a Cabinet decision.
According to Yarde, when the current administration assumed office in 1992 the GPSU and the government had several discussions on plans to develop the parcel of land, noting that the two sides met on February 14 last year and a follow up to the former meeting as held several weeks later on May 23 when a team appointed by President Bharrat Jagdeo, which was led by Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon and which included Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President Dr Nanda Gopaul and Public Service Minister Dr Jennifer Westford met at the Office of the President.
He said that he was “disappointed” that the team of government officials who met with the GPSU contingent last year would participate in the decision making process where the recent moves by the authorities is concerned.’ I want to see what they have to tell me… and to think they have a political future which will not end in Guyana’, an emotional Yarde stated yesterday.
Yarde stated that he was made to understand that following the May 23 meeting, survey work was carried out by the administration on the parcel of land but noted that the GPSU was unaware of the survey until recently when it was brought to his attention.
The government is claiming the parcel of land by way of transport which the administration stated was leased for a brief period by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) on May 30 last year and the property was subsequently relinquished to the GL&SC this year.
