VETERAN Trade Unionist, Grantley Culbard was among scores of workers and union leaders who expressed disappointment over the uncouth behaviour of President of the Guyana Trades Union Congress, Mr. Norris Whitter, who, during the GTUC’s May Day Rally at the Critchlow Labour College yesterday, launched a disgusting, unwarranted and most disrespectful attack on Prime Minister Sam Hinds, who had paid the rally a visit.

GTUC President Norris Whitter flanked by Opposition Leader, David Granger and Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul at the GTUC rally yesterday (Cullen Bess-Nelson photo)

In fact, Whitter barely avoided saying, “I do not want you here, because you’re surrounding yourself with the wrong people.”   
Then, perhaps forgetting for an instant that he was addressing a very important gathering on a very historic occasion, Whitter proceeded to hurl a litany of insults at the Prime Minister, whilst deliberately recognising and acknowledging the presence of his preferred persons among the crowd.

He also attempted to get others at the head table to do likewise, but they considered it very distasteful, regarding it as ‘ganging up’ and ‘yard fowl behaviour’ unbecoming of the President of the TUC.

Whitter’s undignified attack on Prime Minister Hinds continued for several minutes without respite and with no regard for the way others in the gathering felt. In so doing, Whitter did not recognise that he was also embarrassing and making very uncomfortable another distinguished political leader, APNU’s Brigadier David Granger, one of the speakers at the head table, whose manner was starkly in contrast with Whitter’s.

What workers found disgusting and worthy of the strongest approbation was the manner in which the TUC President used the platform in the hallowed trade union halls to launch his attack, creating the impression that what he was mouthing represented the views of the workers.

Concerned workers who later spoke with this newspaper said they had detected a degree of duplicity in Whitter’s standards, since he had, earlier in his speech, described Mr. Granger as a “decent and dignified person” whose demeanour he admired; yet, moments later, his own behaviour betrayed the very opposite of what he had said he admired.

Mayor Hamilton Green and APNU’s Basil Williams among those at the GTUC rally at Critchlow Labour College yesterday

Ironically, as Whitter addressed workers earlier, he premised his vision on workers achieving the ‘greatest power’ beneath the sun, on the movement’s ability to ‘educate, inspire and unite’ them. After yesterday’s episode, workers say they are hoping that the education to which Mr. Whitter alluded is not one that teaches the young people to harbour bitterness and disrespect for authority and functional superiors. “After all, manners maketh man,” one woman said.

Meanwhile, in an invited comment, Mr. Grantley Culbard expressed shock that his trade union colleague had behaved the way he did at that particular forum. Culbard said he hopes Mr. Whitter would let good sense prevail and offer an apology to the Prime Minister. An incident of that nature demands no less, he said, noting that the Prime Minister visited the workers’ rally in good faith and with every good intention.

“What I am told transpired at the TUC Rally today (yesterday), was very disrespectful on the part of the trade union leader. Mr. Hinds is the Prime Minister of this country, and should be treated with the respect he deserves, regardless of how the person feels about him. You do not have to like a person to treat him with the respect he deserves. This is about functional respect, and there is no excuse for that,” Culbard affirmed.

He also expressed concern that the level of division in the trade union movement at this time would only leave the young people confused and without a sense of direction.

Meanwhile, young trade unionists yesterday commented that Mr. Whitter’s behaviour towards the Prime Minister was rude, disrespectful, and clearly not the kind they would like to identify with. “We’re waiting to see if the TUC President would alologise, or if he thinks he is too big to apologise to the Prime Minister. If this is his attitude, then pity the workers he considers to be insignificant and powerless. Is there any hope for the working class?” they pondered.

Workers who had been interviewed made it clear they do not share the sentiments of the TUC President, nor do they intend to go down that road. But contrary to what Whitter would have people feel, when President Donald Ramotar and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds continued their usual Labour Day visits to unions around the city yesterday, the response was quite the opposite. Workers were elated and very eager to have the President and Prime Minister around, and those venerable guests shared a light moment with workers who were very excited to have them stop by.