Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jan 30, 2012 Letters
Dear Editor,
What has been meted out to Freddie Kissoon at UG only points out the incredible abnormalities and aberrations that were long being meted out to students, faculty and staff.
Approximately 2003-2004, before on-line/electronic editions of both SN and KN were available, I submitted a letter that included the following to both newspapers.
“It is not only the ugliness of their physical settings that strikes the visitor [to UG]. It is the air of casual resignation of the students to their fate that is strikingly unusual. It is as if the years of suppression/oppression had beaten the students into submission, driven the idealism out of them. In no other educational institution in a democracy, would you find such an air of despair, sadness, and hopelessness. The idealism of youth is absent. There is no spark of vitality and energy that is associated with youthfulness.
“The questioning of University authority is dangerous here. The underlying feeling is that one must bear one’s ‘chafe,’ because complaining would get nothing done and would get you nowhere; and would most likely bring you trouble. Grin and bear your cross and hopefully it was worth the degradation and humiliation of oneself. They can feel the hand of their sadistic oppressors on their shoulders as they moan and groan under their burden much to the delight of the torturers in this Guyana’s educational aberration. The people put in charge to help are the very ones responsible for their deprivation and descent into despair.”
What human being, educator, politician, scientist etc. would not be touched by such misery inflicted on our youths?
The same toeing of the party line is expected and enforced on the faculty and staff. There is a severe and chronic shortage of qualified faculty at UG. This state of affairs partially exists because potential faculty were screened before being hired and possible ‘trouble makers’ were not hired and those who were ‘troublesome’ had their contracts not renewed. Is it not strange that we hear of so many ably-qualified academics from Guyana, but they cannot find employment at UG?
During my tenure at UG, I was told by insiders that it is hard to get fired for incompetence or lack of academic production/publication. If one screws up he/she would be given a warning, but could expect to be called upon to do something for the then UG administration or Govt.! The enforcer was the former VC, now the axe is the Govt’ representatives on Council of UG – some even come directly from the Office of the President. There is therefore no doubt of political interference from the highest level which adds to the deviations from the standards expected from an independent university.
Further, I was informed that if anyone gives ‘trouble’ to the PPP-chosen UG administration or Government, it is easy to get discredited by means of getting a student to bring a false accusation of sexual harassment or improprieties against one. Knowing that such an accusation would destroy a professional career, then any rational person would leave quietly rather than fight the case publicly in Guyana’s court. It is not worth the time and effort. Who in their right mind would stay at UG or in Guyana with such an ominous cloud hanging overhead?
At UG and in Guyana the abnormal and unthinkable are part of the everyday realities of living. Everyone knows what is going on, yet no one knows! We have just seen examples of such scenarios or attempts being played out at UG.
As mentioned before, I was asked by the late Dr. Victor Forsythe to check out some anomalies that he found curious. I found that at UG, there were too many unusual things going on, money on labs not spent, inflated credentials or outright fraud, bogus publications etc. (These were documented earlier in the press.)
I took my findings to one of my mentors, one the most respected and honoured son of this country (He is now deceased). His advice to me, since I am not a politician and have no political affiliations with the PPP or PNC, was to leave and return to my family. Friends on both sides of the political divide advised me that I should leave quietly since I have no political protection from harm. Ordinary Guyanese from the ground floor of UG and some citizens said that they are glad that I am here to teach their kids, but speaking out is dangerous and they do not want my blood on their conscience. I was encouraged to leave quietly for my own safety.
It was hard to believe that a Government that so many (including those I knew personally) struggled for would be involved in such nefarious practices and schemes. A visitor would never believe such things, but when one enters the trenches one sees the unbelievable but true nature of the people who now inherit the reins of Government. It is an education that one does not need or want. Who would want to associate with such people? Most of us would not introduce our own children to some who are now employed in the OP!
The University is perceived as a threat to the Government so it does not want to see it developed because it feared that an educated populace is more difficult to control. Universities all around the world have produced students who dare to challenge tyrannical status quo governments.
Freddie Kissoon has been in the front lines advocating fearlessly for this University. He understands that after two decades the PPP Government would do nothing for the youths of Guyana. He added his voice and lent support to those whom he perceives have an interest in the youths of Guyana. What is wrong with that? It is consistent with his principles of advocating for youths and UG.
The former VC of UG, Dr. James Rose, took time out from his busy job to go on the campaign trail with Jagdeo. He was applauded by the PPP Government. Now Kissoon is not given a reprimand but fired for appearing on opposition platforms. Incidentally, Dr. Joshua Ramsammy, one of the most active political opponents of the previous dictatorship was not fired from his job.
What is now blatantly evident with regards to the firing of Mr. Kissoon is a continuation of the intimidating practices without even a hearing or the following of standard protocols. The Government also knows that grants are not available for research and development at UG. What serious research can anyone do at UG? We have mentioned these for years now.
It seems that the Government blame their diminished public support on the actions of Mr. Kissoon.
This firing of Freddie Kissoon is a beginning of the hard lines that would be taken with real or perceived opponents. Who is calling the shots which are counterproductive to a new era of peace, dialogue and co-operation? The ball is now in our court.
Seelochan Beharry PhD.
(Former senior Lecturer in Science at UG)
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