Dear Editor,
Mark Lyte must lead the cause of Guyana’s teachers from his own inner convictions and not allow himself to be the feed ego of the same now opposition creature whom his colleagues think he believes in, and who was also present in the Customs protest in the 90s. That time no one knew that he was an agent of the PPP. A secret deal was done outside of the workers’ knowledge by that union head. I was there at the PSU when the truth came out and the workers aired their agony. The ‘Black Clothes’ police were then called to assault, threaten and intimidate Customs workers, some were incarcerated.
That advisor was pretending then to advise on behalf of the workers, but was instead consolidating the defeat of the workers’ interest to the then PPP Government he had pledged his soul to. Today, you can easily become the tool of a political agenda that cares nothing for your reputation, and the credibility of our reputation is all we will contribute while we live, to posterity. Neither is this advisor interested in the fortunes of the teachers.
To fight for the interest of vulnerable people is a noble and lonely task, not an ‘Extravagant Vocation of Perks and Treachery’ as many union leaders have fallen into. I say to you: negotiate reasonably, I caution you, work with your colleagues and negotiate the best possible package, understand at all times that negotiation is a balanced process. Do yourself one favour, presume you’re a Sultan and ask your invasive, but invited Vizier, what his Master and his Court had done for Teachers, Nurses, and public servants during their terrifying regime?
Yours faithfully,
Barry Braithwaite
