This situation has implications for race relations

May 30, 2010 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

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By Sheila Holder

The Guyana government’s refusal to take appropriate steps to appoint Ms. Genevieve Whyte-Nedd as Chief Education Officer (CEO) in the Ministry of Education has implications for race relations in this country. After all this time no valid reason has been provided for not appointing her, either by the subject Minister or the PPP/C Administration, even though she has been acting in that position for four long years.
Consequently, three other officers functioning under her have also been relegated to acting in their positions while being denied full salaries and the right to higher pensions upon retirement.
Since all of these officers are of African descent, it raises the specter of economic discrimination, retardation of their professional careers in their being denied the right to appointment and the increased salaries due to them. In a society known for its racial polarization, the silence of some sections of our society should be broken to put pressure on this Administration for exposing our country to risks associated with their patently unfair behaviour in this matter.
The officers affected are namely, an Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary) which is the substantive post of the Acting Deputy Chief Education Officer (Development), and also the appointment of Senior Education Officers which is the substantive posts of persons who have acted, or are acting, as Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary) or have retired as Acting Assistant Chief Education Officers (Secondary).
Race-based politics generates PPP/C administration’s disincentive
Be that as it may, it is necessary for me to also point out that this situation in reality is as a result of racial politics.
Given the polarized pattern of voting adopted over decades it is apposite to note that this in itself serves as a disincentive to the Jagdeo Administration to act fairly in relation to Mrs. Whyte-Nedd, and indeed to address the needs of a racial group from whom little political support traditionally emanates.
Changing this paradigm is wholly in the hands of the Guyanese people should they be wise enough to dispense with racial voting.
The Public Service Union has raised the issue of the Administration using various subterfuges to avoid appointing Mrs. Whyte-Nedd because, essentially, they have a problem with her.
The issue of their unhappiness with Mrs. Whyte-Nedd loses credibility in view of the fact that she has been acting in that position for four years against the well established three-year acting rule limit as well as the fact that other senior appointments in the Ministry have been made during this period.
In these circumstances we are forced to conclude that this Administration is prepared to make her a victim of their well known tactic of vindictiveness in denying her better pension benefits, the entitlement to be appointment to a position she is not only qualified for, but in which she has been functioning for four years.
This tactic has deleteriously affected the moral in the Public Service and has been used in other arms of the State to compromise integrity and independence. This is reprehensible and should be described for what it is.
Precedence Set
I have in my possession copies of letters from the Office of the President (OP) signed by Dr. Roger Luncheon, Secretary to the Cabinet, directing Dr. N. Gopaul as Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Public Service Ministry at the time, that the OP had no objection to retroactively filling a position in the Ministry of Education in which that person had been acting for some years.
Also, by memorandum from the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Ministry, to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, approval was transmitted for the former to approach the Public Service Commission with the recommendation to fill a vacancy in the Ministry of Education. Given such precedence, the position publicly adopted by the Minister of Education is without basis and foundation. In other jurisdictions where democratic norms prevail the Minister would be forced to resign as a result of censure from his peers, but this is Guyana where anything goes.
In seeking to ascertain from the Minister of Education if he had any objection to Mrs. Whyte-Nedd’s being appointed in the position she had occupied for four years, a question was filed in the National Assembly on my behalf recently; but was disallowed by the Speaker.
His reason being that my question was based on a premise of which there was no knowledge. The question in fact sought to enquire when the Ministry of Education would indicate to the Public Service Commission if it had any objection to the substantive appointment of the present acting CEO.
It should be noted that recommending the appointment of an officer serving in the Public Service ought not to be interpreted as being in breach of Article 226 (1) of the Constitution because what was being done amounted to a recommendation not a directive.
Article 226 (1) of the Constitution deals with the power and procedure of Commissions and states, “Save as otherwise provided in this Constitution, in the exercise of its functions under this Constitution a Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.” It is normal and acceptable for a Ministry to make recommendations to the Public Service Commission so as to guide it when appointments are to be made.
Position Too Vital for Government’s tomfoolery
The position of CEO in the Ministry of Education is a vital one for the education system in that the CEO is the chief professional in the Ministry who serves as an ex officio member of the Teaching Service Commission, which has constitutional responsibility for the appointment, promotion and discipline of the nation’s eight thousand-plus teachers.
The society should demand better governance from this Administration if it cares about the education of Guyana’s children and political stability in our country.
Yes indeed, I advocated against street protest and stand by that position; but there are over one hundred and forty other ways to protest – choose another!

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