Latest update March 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 01, 2014 News
– GTUC rejects offer, snubs inclusion of FITUG reps on College board
The decision by the National Assembly to approve the restoration of the government of Guyana subvention to the Critchlow Labour College (CLC) is “nothing more than a PPP [Peoples Progressive Party] orchestrated public relations stunt, bringing shame and disrepute to the National Assembly.”
This is the contention of the Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) which, through its General Secretary Lincoln Lewis said that the vote taken by the National Assembly “brings to bear the level of lawlessness that our country have sunk to when the highest decision making forum of the land where laws are made and respected can be used to encourage violations of the Constitution and by-laws of the CLC and disregard for the right to freedom of association enshrined in the Constitution.”
According to Lewis, while GTUC appreciates the motion presented by the Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) Trevor William to have the subvention restored, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) representative on the College’s board would be to compromise and transgress their rights and the Rule of Law in their organization.
Lewis explained that representatives from A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) met with the GTUC and put forward the same position taken by AFC and “it was made crystal clear the GTUC would not be advancing rights and the Rule of Law at the national level and at the same time compromise these universal principles in our organisation. It is clear that some decisions in the House are being made absent of an understanding of the issues, role and responsibilities of the MPs and the laws that should be guiding their actions” Lewis outlined.
According to Lewis, the CLC is a private institution that has its own laws, is guided by national laws and is owned by the GTUC, “so for the National Assembly to arbitrarily take a decision to impose a new management structure on the college is a usurpation of the by-laws of these institutions and a matter no law-abiding citizen should countenance, much less be voted on in the national assembly.”
Lewis stressed that when it comes to the determination of the composition of boards, the National Assembly should address this on state boards such as NICIL (National Industrial & Commercial Investments Ltd) and NCN (National Communications Network) not the GTUC.
He said that CLC has two representatives on its board, one from the Ministry of Education and one from the Ministry of Labour and the amendment passed in the National Assembly now “adds four government controlled FITUG members, making government’s influence six against the GTUC’s four, on a college owned by the GTUC. The GTUC is not prepared to sell its rights to the government or to any other” said Lewis.
The General Secretary outlined that the Union historically has always been independent regardless of the political support of its leadership “and this goes back to the days of Joseph Pollydore, who, though a friend of Forbes Burnham was not afraid to challenge and or provide GTUC’s support for industrial actions against successive People’s National Congress (PNC) administrations.”
He said that the GTUC guards ardently the right to self-determination and independence and will not compromise it to enjoy any other right.
According to Lewis, those in the National Assembly who premise the granting of government subvention on unity should look within themselves. “The PNC was birthed out of the PPP. The AFC was birthed out of the (Workings People Alliance) WPA, PNC and PPP. Perhaps this august body should go back to the PPP from whence they originated. Those who call for unity within the trade union movement have themselves come from fractured bodies but now zealously guard their right to independent existence and self-determination. They must respect FITUG’s right to pursue its own pathway. They must understand that the GTUC bears no ill will or malice to FITUG and will unite with any labour organisation or body sharing common interest based on universal laws, conventions, charters and declarations.”
Financial Impropriety
Speaking on the assertions made that the subvention for the College was stopped because of financial impropriety in the use of state funds, Lewis said that information to the contrary can be verified from the Auditor General’s Reports and should have been sought or provided in the National Assembly to aid in its decision making.
Lewis outlined that the GTUC and its attendant arms had two sources of revenue intakes, state and non-state; both being managed in separate accounts. He explained that the Auditor General’s office audited the state’s revenue, whereas the non-state funding account is audited by a private firm consistent with the national law of a private institution and the records to the relevant government agency. He further established that these documents are all accessible to Government and the public and stressed that the Auditor General’s audits of state funds showed that no evidence of financial impropriety was ever unearthed.
Speaking about the allegations made in the National Assembly by Minister Nanda Gopaul that no GAWU (Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union) member ever served as president despite having the largest block of delegation, Lewis said that remark made by Gopaul is unfortunate since he was elected Treasurer of the GTUC by popular support and knows the rules governing the GTUC.
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