It pains me to see the rapid decline of President’s College

Jun 23, 2009 Letters

Dear Editor,
I was one of the fortunate 72 admitted to President’s College (PC) in 1985 and am forever grateful to the teachers and staff, who guided us through those formative years. But times have changed and PC is sailing on like a rudderless ship.
There are a few things that we must come to grip with. President’s College is prey to political shenanigans – all this in a nation where we boldly utter catch phrases like ‘Education for All.’
There are a few souls and political appointees who’ve been imposed upon PC. Their true motives have very little to do with educating students and are poorly disguised. Those who have eyes let them see, says the great book. So it was good to see David DeGroot speak of imposition in a recent letter to the press. (SN May 5, 2009)

Mr. DeGroot has been Chairman of the Board of PC for 15 plus years.
That’s correct! His latest initiative is to call for the closure of the cattle/dairy farm of President’s College.
As is often the case with DeGroot’s dictatorial style, this matter has not been voted on by the school board. Mr. DeGroot is a man who simply declares.
This declaration has been made in the age of skyrocketing food prices, talk of food security, talk of sustainability and talk of self-reliance. In the age of the Grow More Food Campaign, DeGroot speaks of closing down a vital Agricultural component of PC.
I have no choice but to question Mr. DeGroot’s familiarity with the National Development Strategy of Guyana.
Has the President, Minister of Agriculture and/or the Minister of Education heard of this plan? I would most welcome their views and opinions on this issue.
President’s College sits on about 100 acres of agricultural land because the plan was for the school to be self-sufficient in food. Does Mr. DeGroot have plans for this vast acreage that will now lie unused?
Mr. Editor it must be stated for the records that at the time Mr. DeGroot was selected to chair the PC board, there were many heads of beef and dairy cattle.

There was a point when PC farm had well over 100 heads of cattle, pigs and chicken (layers and meat).
The President a few months ago had this to say about the deterioration of the Demerara Bridge: ‘“So I am very concerned about the management of the Demerara Harbour Bridge because to allow things to get to that stage, it’s unbelievable almost criminal.”
I would like to invite the President to make an unannounced visit to President’s College and I look forward to hear his pronouncements on the state of affairs at PC.
There are many things that should be publicly asked of Mr. DeGroot, and I hope the ink in his quill has not run dry. He is a man of letters, but I find it quite peculiar that with all the news published about PC as of late, there is no statement or letter from the Chairman of the Board.
What are his major accomplishments as Chairman of the Board? What programmes have he suggested and saw implemented in the past 15 years?
What role has members of his family played in purchasing items for PC over the years?
We face many problems as a nation. Some live in fear while some fear the truth. Some tell lies while others are living a lie.

We all have to come to grips with truth or we will continue to suffer and some will even cry that we are cursed as a nation.
The sad truth is we are not cursed. We’ve just settled for low to no standards and many of us have convinced ourselves, or have been convinced by others that this is the best we can do.
President’s College is just one slice of the pie that is Guyana. So I say again: Some live in fear while some fear the truth. Some tell lies while others are living a lie.
The Chairman of the board has been there for 15 plus years as previously stated and PC has no running water, budget deficits, a failing agriculture sector, low morale amongst the staff, dilapidated buildings, bush where tilapia ponds once flourished and when it rains it pours into some classrooms. (I must remind all that even the President needs a constitutional amendment to serve another term.
How much longer must PC be saddled with David DeGroot?)
In closing I must thank Kaieteur News and the other news organisations for giving this issue the coverage it rightfully deserves.
PC and by extension Guyana can reclaim their rightful place amongst the stars, but we must embrace exposition and reject imposition.
Mark Jacobs

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It pains me to see the rapid decline of President’s College

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