Mark Lyte is new GTU President

Apr 23, 2014 News

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By Leon Suseran

Mark Lyte has been elected as the new Guyana Teachers’ Union President. He also won the First Vice President position after the ballots were counted on Saturday evening in Georgetown. He replaces Colin Bynoe as the head of the entity.

Speaking with Kaieteur News last evening during the GTU’s Biennial Conference which is currently being held at the Union’s Woolford Avenue location, Lyte felt delighted at the win and said that teachers in Guyana can now expect a better level of representation from the Union under his leadership.
The well-known Berbician began teaching in 1990 after which he migrated to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to study Theology in 1991 and later graduated with an Associate Degree in Theology. He returned to Guyana in 1993 and started to work part time at the Winifred Gaskin Memorial Secondary for three years.
He became a full- time teacher in 1995 at Corentyne Comprehensive High School where he taught for eleven years, after which he was promoted to Head of Department at JC Chandisingh Secondary in Berbice. He is also a holder of a Bachelor of Education Degree and a Master of Education Degree.
The father of two was promoted to Deputy Head Teacher Tutorial Academy Secondary in 2012, during which he worked at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC) as Lecturer. Notably, he has also been the pastor of the Rose Hall Christian Church from 1993.
When asked why he decided to run for the GTU Presidency, Lyte explained that “I decided that teachers are not satisfied with the level of representation that they are receiving from the Guyana Teachers’ Union, and many teachers have withdrawn their membership due to their levels of dissatisfaction.”
“Looking at my credentials, I am someone who has a both spiritual and educational field, to provide better leadership, which would allow for all teachers to feel included and represented, irrespective of their professional status, religion and social class, as well as location in the country,” he stated.
He feels that the GTU can do more to enhance the agreement that they currently have with the Ministry of Education and Government and “teachers do not only need salary-like benefits but also non-salary benefits where they can get discounts from business entities.”
Lyte opined that many of the branches are “becoming dormant or non- functional” He wants to work with the branch representatives to revive the branches. He feels that GTU needs to be more accountable to its members.
“I promise to ensure that the membership knows exactly what the Union is doing with the finances they are given.”
Lyte added, too, that he will ensure that the executive members not only sit in their offices, but visit members and branches and “come back to the drawing board to see how we can help them.”
“Training of officers is critical. Many times they do not know what to do…their duties, responsibilities…so an educational programme which will work to help the officers will be put in place. I also envision that the Union should be able to work closely with all stakeholders in education.”
He pledged to foster a unity of union members, “so we can in turn work with other stakeholders in education.”
“I believe with the right vision and focus of the executive, which I hope to provide, we will be able to achieve that atmosphere,” he posited.
He urged teachers to brace themselves, as “things will not happen in a day—we need to start from the grassroots and see how we can enhance things and that teachers can expect a better level of representation from the GTU under my leadership, at all levels—whether duty free, teachers’ scholarships, bursaries—we will lay out the criteria for people so they will know.”
“I am there as the leader to guide the process to ensure it happens,” he asserted.
The new GTU President is making a call to all teachers who have withdrawn their membership to re- apply to the Union.
“You can’t enjoy the benefits that come unless they are members.”
He is calling on them to re-apply so that they can become members once again.
The GTU Biennial Conference at GTU Hall Woolford Avenue started yesterday and ends on Friday. Branch representatives on Friday will be the Rise of Conference, where a new executive will be installed. Other officers elected recently include General Secretary (re-elected), Coretta McDonald; Deputy General Secretary retained Jacqueline Douglas; Treasurer Samantha Allen who was unopposed; Second Vice- President was also unopposed, Julian Cambridge; Regional VP for Berbice, Donetta D’Andrade; Regional VP for Demerara, Hazel Pyle; and Regional VP for Essequibo unopposed, Desire Van Lewin.

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