Leader of the Opposition, Brigadier David Granger has expressed support for efforts to improve conditions of work and study at the University of Guyana. Mr. Granger, responding to a joint invitation from University of Guyana Senior Staff Association President, Dr Patsy Francis, University of Guyana Students Society President, Duane Edwards and the University of Guyana Workers’ Union President, Bruce Haynes, held a meeting to discuss the crisis on the Turkeyen campus on Wednesday 8th February.
Representatives of the three university organizations which are currently protesting against the conduct of the UG Council and the attitude of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration towards the university outlined their grievances. These included the Council’s role and lack of transparency, especially with regard to its decisions to terminate the contracts of some lecturers, the deteriorating conditions on campus and the need to improve salaries to attract and retain employees.
Mr. Granger pointed out that he was aware of several studies by Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors which have been sidelined or stymied by the PPP/C administration and its representatives on the Council over the past 20 years. He criticised the administration’s short-term tactic of starving the university of funds and controlling the Council rather than undertaking the, strategic, long-term task of improving infrastructure and enhancing academic standards.
Mr. Granger promised to use the Office of Leader of the Opposition to help to achieve the representatives’ short-term goals. He asserted, however, that UG’s problems are long-term in character and required long-term solutions. He, therefore, advanced a ten-point plan that included amending the university’s Act and Statutes; academic enhancement; ; funding strategic development; re-examining the Council’s functions; reforming UG finance including salaries and pensions; re-equipping science laboratories and the library; rehabilitating infrastructure; relations with the University of the West Indies; reviewing students’ fees and recruiting staff to put UG on a sound footing.
Mr. Granger reminded the representatives that UG would celebrate its 5oth anniversary in 2013 and the entire country should use occasion as an opportunity to evaluate its performance. He iterated A Partnership for National Unity’s total commitment to pursue a national, long-term, comprehensive strategy to make the national university an institution of which future generations of Guyanese can be proud.
Thursday 9 February 2012
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