Appointments Committee says it never re-hired Freddie Kissoon – he was not only lecturer to be terminated
January 25, 2012 | By KNews | Filed Under News
Source - Kaieteur News
Freddie Kissoon
The termination of University of Guyana (UG) Lecturer, Frederick Kissoon, has attracted countrywide attention, with some deeming it to be “politically motivated.”
Information emanating from UG yesterday revealed that Kissoon, along with seven others, reportedly had their contracts renewed without the approval of the Appointments Committee, contrary to normal practice.
Kaieteur News understands that when this issue was highlighted, the Committee sought to correct this situation, However the committee refrained from doing so since it was the middle of the semester last year.
Kissoon was not the only individual to have his contract terminated, a source said. According to officials, the University’s policy relating to the retirement age of Senior Lecturers or Professors is that they have an automatic renewal of contract should they desire to continue working.
All persons wishing to be re-employed after the age of 60 would be offered employment only by the Appointments Committee of UG.
Meanwhile for those falling under the categories of Lecturer I and Lecturer II (Kissoon being categorized as a Lecturer II), a “case by case” consideration is done.
Re-employment or renewal of contracts is not automatic for these categories.
Kaieteur News was told that UG did not follow protocol in this matter and that contracts were “just given out” to eight persons, including Kissoon, last year.
This newspaper was further told that should these retired individuals (Lecturer I and Lecturer II) wish to have their contracts renewed, the Appointments Committee would have to consider whether there are other “qualified people” for the job(s). Therefore vacancies for these positions would have to be publicized.
Kissoon, who served as a UG Lecturer for 26 years, on Monday last, had his contract terminated with immediate effect, on Monday. He claimed to have been barred from any further employment there.
Kissoon, 61, said that he was informed of the termination of his contract by the Dean of the Social Science Faculty, O’Neil Grace.
He received a letter to this effect later that day (Monday).
The letter, signed by Acting Registrar Theodosius Velloza, informed Kissoon that he (Kissoon) would be paid “subject to satisfactory completion of last pay certificate.”
Kissoon said that he did not know what that meant.
He said that he was informed that the decision was taken at a meeting of the University Council last week Wednesday.
Kissoon sits on the University Council as a representative of the University workers, but he said that he did not know a meeting was called. He told Kaieteur News that those who pushed for the decision were Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira; Parliamentarians for the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic Bibi Shadick and Indra Chandarpal; Pro-Chancellor and Head of the President’s Public Information Office Dr Prem Misir, and Finance Secretary Neermal Rekha.
Four members of the university council, including Vice Chancellor Lawrence Carrington, were not in favour of the decision, Kissoon stated.
However, some senior sources disclosed that there was no vote; therefore the question of a case of stated disagreements did not arise.
In fact, the “mumblings” which were said to have been issued were those of concern for students and their studies at the facility and not in support of whether Kissoon should remain or leave.
Kissoon was on a three-year contract with the University. That contract was scheduled to expire in August.
However, one of the persons at the meeting said that the contract had specific clauses for termination. Once Kissoon received a letter, the clause would have been specific.
An individual who attended the meeting said that one stipulated condition was that Kissoon boost his academic profile.
For his part, Kissoon said that he always did research, but the University Council member said that nothing ever came of Kissoon’s research. The staff said that in keeping with the contract, Kissoon was given three months’ notice of termination.
January 25, 2012 | By KNews | Filed Under News
Source - Kaieteur News
Freddie KissoonThe termination of University of Guyana (UG) Lecturer, Frederick Kissoon, has attracted countrywide attention, with some deeming it to be “politically motivated.”
Information emanating from UG yesterday revealed that Kissoon, along with seven others, reportedly had their contracts renewed without the approval of the Appointments Committee, contrary to normal practice.
Kaieteur News understands that when this issue was highlighted, the Committee sought to correct this situation, However the committee refrained from doing so since it was the middle of the semester last year.
Kissoon was not the only individual to have his contract terminated, a source said. According to officials, the University’s policy relating to the retirement age of Senior Lecturers or Professors is that they have an automatic renewal of contract should they desire to continue working.
All persons wishing to be re-employed after the age of 60 would be offered employment only by the Appointments Committee of UG.
Meanwhile for those falling under the categories of Lecturer I and Lecturer II (Kissoon being categorized as a Lecturer II), a “case by case” consideration is done.
Re-employment or renewal of contracts is not automatic for these categories.
Kaieteur News was told that UG did not follow protocol in this matter and that contracts were “just given out” to eight persons, including Kissoon, last year.
This newspaper was further told that should these retired individuals (Lecturer I and Lecturer II) wish to have their contracts renewed, the Appointments Committee would have to consider whether there are other “qualified people” for the job(s). Therefore vacancies for these positions would have to be publicized.
Kissoon, who served as a UG Lecturer for 26 years, on Monday last, had his contract terminated with immediate effect, on Monday. He claimed to have been barred from any further employment there.
Kissoon, 61, said that he was informed of the termination of his contract by the Dean of the Social Science Faculty, O’Neil Grace.
He received a letter to this effect later that day (Monday).
The letter, signed by Acting Registrar Theodosius Velloza, informed Kissoon that he (Kissoon) would be paid “subject to satisfactory completion of last pay certificate.”
Kissoon said that he did not know what that meant.
He said that he was informed that the decision was taken at a meeting of the University Council last week Wednesday.
Kissoon sits on the University Council as a representative of the University workers, but he said that he did not know a meeting was called. He told Kaieteur News that those who pushed for the decision were Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira; Parliamentarians for the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic Bibi Shadick and Indra Chandarpal; Pro-Chancellor and Head of the President’s Public Information Office Dr Prem Misir, and Finance Secretary Neermal Rekha.
Four members of the university council, including Vice Chancellor Lawrence Carrington, were not in favour of the decision, Kissoon stated.
However, some senior sources disclosed that there was no vote; therefore the question of a case of stated disagreements did not arise.
In fact, the “mumblings” which were said to have been issued were those of concern for students and their studies at the facility and not in support of whether Kissoon should remain or leave.
Kissoon was on a three-year contract with the University. That contract was scheduled to expire in August.
However, one of the persons at the meeting said that the contract had specific clauses for termination. Once Kissoon received a letter, the clause would have been specific.
An individual who attended the meeting said that one stipulated condition was that Kissoon boost his academic profile.
For his part, Kissoon said that he always did research, but the University Council member said that nothing ever came of Kissoon’s research. The staff said that in keeping with the contract, Kissoon was given three months’ notice of termination.