AFC wants the House to remove political appointees from Council
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Wednesday, 01 February 2012 17:53
The Alliance For Change (AFC) plans to sponsor either a motion or amendment in the National Assembly to the University of Guyana Act to change the composition of its Council.
In the wake of the termination of Political Science Lecturer, Freddie Kissoon’s contract and no offer of future employment, calls have been made by UG’s workers and students’ organisations for no political interference in the running of the institution.
Outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Lawrence Carrington has cited the need for UG’s governance structure to be overhauled. He has noted that politicians are not members of the University of the West Indies Council.
And AFC Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan on Tuesday told a news conference that his party would be meeting with the stakeholders of the UG community as part of efforts to take the matter to the National Assembly.
Options to be explored, he said, include the passage of a motion or amendment to the UG Act for the Council to be revamped to exclude so many politicians.
“That is a very important one so you reduce it to probably just one member from the variety of political parties so the politicians will have an insight into the operations because of they make national policies. At the same time, they must have minimal input,” he told Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com )
Ramjattan told the news conference that he expected support from the opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and hopefully President Donald Ramotar would assent the amendment. The combined opposition has 33 seats in the National Assembly and the ruling party 32.
When contacted, a senior APNU official said his party was yet to discuss issues surrounding the university.
AFC Executive Member, Gerhard Ramsaroop said at the news conference that his party “is convinced that there us need for more civil society involvement at the level of the Council to make and prescribe regulations for itself and any other authority within the university.
“Placing this kind of power in the hands of political hacks committed not to national development but to ‘party paramountcy’ has resulted in the sad state of affairs the university now finds itself in,” he said.
Daily lunchtime picketing demonstrations and marches on campus have been continuing on the Turkeyen Campus and the organisations say the unrest could escalate into a strike by next week if their demands are not met.
The include the de-politicizing of UG, improvements to the physical infrastructure including new and improved laboratories, improved hygiene and the hiring rather than the firing of competent lecturers.
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Wednesday, 01 February 2012 17:53
The Alliance For Change (AFC) plans to sponsor either a motion or amendment in the National Assembly to the University of Guyana Act to change the composition of its Council.
In the wake of the termination of Political Science Lecturer, Freddie Kissoon’s contract and no offer of future employment, calls have been made by UG’s workers and students’ organisations for no political interference in the running of the institution.
Outgoing Vice Chancellor, Professor Lawrence Carrington has cited the need for UG’s governance structure to be overhauled. He has noted that politicians are not members of the University of the West Indies Council.
And AFC Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan on Tuesday told a news conference that his party would be meeting with the stakeholders of the UG community as part of efforts to take the matter to the National Assembly.
Options to be explored, he said, include the passage of a motion or amendment to the UG Act for the Council to be revamped to exclude so many politicians.
“That is a very important one so you reduce it to probably just one member from the variety of political parties so the politicians will have an insight into the operations because of they make national policies. At the same time, they must have minimal input,” he told Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com )
Ramjattan told the news conference that he expected support from the opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and hopefully President Donald Ramotar would assent the amendment. The combined opposition has 33 seats in the National Assembly and the ruling party 32.
When contacted, a senior APNU official said his party was yet to discuss issues surrounding the university.
AFC Executive Member, Gerhard Ramsaroop said at the news conference that his party “is convinced that there us need for more civil society involvement at the level of the Council to make and prescribe regulations for itself and any other authority within the university.
“Placing this kind of power in the hands of political hacks committed not to national development but to ‘party paramountcy’ has resulted in the sad state of affairs the university now finds itself in,” he said.
Daily lunchtime picketing demonstrations and marches on campus have been continuing on the Turkeyen Campus and the organisations say the unrest could escalate into a strike by next week if their demands are not met.
The include the de-politicizing of UG, improvements to the physical infrastructure including new and improved laboratories, improved hygiene and the hiring rather than the firing of competent lecturers.