Constitution of new UG Council in accordance with law - Minister Manickchand tells National Assembly 

Georgetown, GINA, July 25, 2012 - Source - GINA

A petition was brought to the National Assembly through A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) member, Dr. Rupert Roopnarine on behalf of the students, staff, alumni and friends of the University of Guyana; calling on the House to appoint a new, fully constituted Council.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand subsequently, informed the House that pursuant to Section 13 of Chapter 39:02 of the University of Guyana Act the Ministry and the University invited the relevant organisations to nominate persons to the Council. The life of the existing Council ended on June 30.

Section 13 stated that the Council shall consist of 26 members including the Chancellor, Pro Chancellor, and Principal and Vice Chancellors. The other members, according to the Act, must be drawn from the following:

• One person to be nominated by the Committee of Deans
• One person to be nominated by the Academic Board
• One from the Guild of Graduates
• One from the Student Society
• One from the University of Guyana Workers’ Union
• One from the Ministry of Education and Cultural Development
• One from the Ministry of Finance
• One from the political Party in Office
• One from the minority leader
• Four from Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as in the opinion of the Minister, are most representative of the interests of women, farmers, Amerindians and business.
• One from the Guyana Trades Union Congress
• Three by the Minister, who in the Minister’s opinion can contribute significantly to the University in the field of medicine and law
• Six persons by the Chancellor of whom one shall be from each of the following:
  *Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada
  *American University of State Colleges and Universities
  *Committee for International Cooperation and Higher Education of the United Kingdom
  *The University of the West Indies (UWI)

In an effort to get truly representative nominees from interest groups and to ensure that members have been chosen through an open and inclusive participatory process, a Council has been appointed with nominees from the organisations that were named by the Act.

Minister Manickchand said that with the exception of two bodies that are yet to submit names, the Council is fully constituted.

Additionally, a consultancy which is being managed by Trevor Hamilton and Associates of Jamaica, is ongoing to address the governance structures of UG.