Latest update November 11th, 2024 1:00 AM
May 12, 2022 News
By Zena Henry
Kaieteur News – Over 100 persons have signed a petition demanding that the Public Service Credit Union call an emergency general meeting within 14 days to discuss the removal of Chairman Trevor Benn through a no confidence motion.
Benn was voted out of the post just over a week ago and has refused to step down, stating that the motion was done illegally and without merit. Benn who was accepting signatures in the Hadfield Street Avenue, opposite the credit union’s office, told the Kaieteur News that the petition exercise was being conducted on the instruction of credit union members. The petition, he explained, is “… asking the credit union to call an emergency general meeting for the members to discuss the issue and for urgent decisions to be made.” He said that the credit union has been given 14 days and should the request not met, further instructions would be taken on the way forward from the members. “I have been consulting on a regular basis with members and depending on what they decide, we will take the appropriate follow-up action,” Benn said. He noted that the petition exercise is consistent with the rules set out for the credit union and that the holding of the emergency meeting is provided for under Chapter 88:01 of the Cooperative Societies Act.
A number of credit union members expressed solidarity with Benn, while calling for fresh elections. They claimed that since Benn’s intervention, service and benefits at the credit union have improved significantly. These include, in particular, the ease in which persons could now access loans to finance developmental projects such as home improvements, land and car purchases among others.
Judy Dodson who has been with the credit union for more than five years, told the newspaper that she believes that it was the “wrong move” by the Board to remove Benn. She said since being at the institution, the Chairman has moved the credit union to a higher level where money is accessible to persons to build homes among other things. “It is easy to get a loan; it is not like before when you have to wait a long time. As long as everything is intact, you can get your money in three days; the money goes into the bank.” This is extremely beneficial Dodson highlighted, since she described accessing loans at commercial banks as “very difficult.” She said the banks have specific criteria, while their interest rates are much higher than the credit union. Dodson believes that Benn’s removal may be more “deceptive” than it appears on the surface. “Remember persons are not going to the bank like before to borrow. You can’t get money because they look at your age and everything, so you find people getting access to the money here, so I think that is the problem and remember this is at a low interest rate.” Dotson said she received a loan to purchase a land and will be applying for another loan next month.
Another public servant who identified herself as Abiola said that she has been with the credit union for more than 20 years. Since Benn assumed office, she said she has been able to access a loan to complete her house and buy a car, “opposed to the bank which would give the “royal run around.” She said that members can now provide collateral and access a loan for as much as $5m. She said whereas the commercial banks would have significant delays or refuse a loan “…here is the credit union opening up the door and making things possible for single women, working women who are not in the position to turn around the little salary that they would be getting at the end of the month.”She said that the credit union Chairman was doing a good job and he should be given a “fighting chance.”
Listening to a press conference by the Management Committee who voted out the Chairman, Abiola said she was left with more questions than answers. She said there seemed to be no clear answer to the questions as to why the Chairman was voted out and his transgressions. She said that the Board could not justify what he had done and in the end, “you were more confused as to why the actions were taken.” Abiola pointed to the change in the credit union’s physical environment, receiving $50,000 “COVID” (COVID-19 pandemic) cash assistance, and conducting business with ease during the pandemic as all positive improvements under the Chairman.
The Credit Union’s Management Committee during their press conference Monday accused Benn of taking sensitive information about the financial institution to the public; they insinuated that he was taking credit for the work done by the Board and had sought excessive powers when he tried to merge the chairmanship with the of the Chief Executive officer position. They said after refusing Benn of this, the relationship between the chair and the board began to “slide”. Benn offered his own reasons for what he called a “coup d’ etat styled” no confidence motion. He maintains nonetheless that he remains the Chairman of the Board and would be running when fresh elections are held for the credit union.
Photo in Thursday as Benn
Caption: Credit Union Chairman Trevor Benn (centre) is surrounded by several credit union members demanding his reinstatement to the post
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