Democracy is only possible with strong institutions

Feb 09, 2015 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The University of Guyana or UG is one of our National development institutions. Established in 1963, three years before British Guyana received its Independence and became Guyana, the University of Guyana has the unique distinction of being one of the few National universities established in a Colony. Today, the university has come a far cry from its first student population of 164 students and a fee of G$ 100.00. Currently, UG has approximately 5500 plus students, the majority of whom are working during the day and attending UG from 5.15 PM to 9.10 PM, Monday to Friday and between 815 am and 415 PM on Saturdays.
UG is Guyana’s only national university and the provider of over 80 percent of the Nation’s management workforce in both the Public and Private sectors. Last year, UG celebrated its Golden Jubilee (50th anniversary) under the theme “Honouring the Past, Moulding the Future, Transforming the Future”.
That UG needs transformation is well established. Management, staff, lecturers and especially students, all have their beefs. Some of these beefs are the size of “sacred cows”. Significant changes have to be made. And as a National institution, these changes have to be agreed upon with consultation, in good will and with a collegial spirit. The Private Sector, the recipient of many of the products of UG, also have a major role to play in UG’s transformation. They cannot view the UG transformation process as a “spectator” sport.
Indeed, a very strong Public Private Partnership is needed if the University of Guyana is to leapfrog from its current state into a strategic platform that will enable Guyana’s sustainable development over the next 50 years.
For its UG’s 50th anniversary, UG needed to be-reengineered, strategically funded and thanked for its contribution, so far, to national development.In reality, not much strategic re-engineering was done during the UG’s 50th anniversary. Much time was spent understanding UG’s immediate needs and to put UG’s financial house in order from a year-to-year operational perspective.
There were however several studies done over the years and Dr. Paloma Mohamed had held Faculty Outreach to define the issues facing UG. The Hamilton Report highlighted many strategic options while indicating UG’s low salaries compared to its regional counterpart the University of the West Indies. Governance, infrastructure, curriculum, class size, fiscal status were among other issues analysed.
Today, UG has reached a crossroad. The weight of its many problems has finally, it seems, brought the institution to a standstill. The staff of the University have demanded, among other things, a 60 percent across the board increase in salaries for all categories of staff, inclusive of part time and casual staff,  payable from March 2015. On 4 February 2015, the University’s Negotiating Team offered a 25 percent salary increase for all categories of staff over a three-year period [five percent year one; 10 percent year two and; 10 percent year three] among other benefits for certain classes of staff such as house lots, duty free concessions, increases in travel allowances, etc.
The staff rejected this offer as, among other things, an annual 5 percent increase is normally granted, making the offer in effect a 10 percent increase over three years. A counter proposal of salary increases of 25 percent in year one; 25 percent in year two and 25 percent in year three was made.
The Vice Chancellor of the University subsequently cancelled negotiations, revoked the University’s initial offer and insists that workers must return to work before further negotiations.
UG, however, like GUYSUCO, is too big to fail. Too many lives are at stake. Guyana’s economic transformation, competitiveness and sustainability are also at risk, given UG is the main source of tertiary education for the masses of Guyanese of all races.
Intervention is needed by the State and more specifically by President Donald Ramotar, a graduate of UG. With National and Regional election scheduled for May 11, and with the expectation that Parliament will be dissolved by February 11, the UG situation can become a pussed sore. If this were to happen, the entire nation would lose as well as UG’s management, staff and lecturers. The biggest losers would of course be the students. The biggest winner, the Vice Chancellor.
Too much is at stake. The University of Guyana must become a modern progressive nation building institution. A professionally done environmental scan of the University of Guyana would today reveal several truths.
At the Human landscape level: Guyana needs a large skilled, appropriate, workforce if it is to develop in a sustainable manner. This implies UG needs visionary leadership, strategic operational management, a significant one time increase in employee remuneration, better infrastructure and a new technology platform as an enabling environment for student and lecturer productivity.
At the Educational level, deteriorating functional literacy and Illiteracy threatens Guyana’s sustainable development, socially, culturally and economically. UG needs to be the place where “thought leaders” are created to redefine and reform our educational system. UG must also provide the new architects of Guyana’s sustainable development. The end result of an UG education must be individuals of exemplary character committed to a creating a plural democracy and committed to serving the nation.
At the Economic level:UG must be the crucible where students and future leaders are tooled to help to develop our country.Guyana is blessed with a tremendous amount of natural resources which can underpin our economic ascendency. UG therefore must provide a workforce with a wide variety of skills for national development. Guyana’s GDP growth will be widely influenced by UG’s capacity to provide graduates with the relevant skills and aptitude. For this to happen, UG needs to be closely aligned with the needs of the Private Sector and other key stakeholders. Only with better governance, better salaries and benefits and better quality assurance will this happen.
In short, UG’s economic viability will determine the nation’s viability and global competitiveness
Finally, new teaching approaches embracing new ICT technologies areessential for productivity and effectiveness.
The big question is what should we do for UG in its current crisis.
Dr. Melissa Ifill, the President of one of the two Unions on strike has publicly stated.
“ An individual entering the University of Guyana with a PhD at the Lecturer II level would be paid a starting salary of G$165,058- which is equivalent to US$797. The corresponding starting salary in 2011 for UWI Cave Hill, UWI St. Augustine and UWI Mona are US$4,775, US$3,506 – and US$2, 066 respectively”.
The current Vice Chancellor of UG, Dr,Jacob Opdeyi has stated in the Sunday Guyana Times that “ the University cannot be in negotiations while the unions are still engaged in active demonstrations and strike action.”. He insisted that any attempt to meet the 60 per cent increase at this time in the University’s history would have a debilitating and crippling impact on its financial health.
While he remains unwilling to buckle under the pressure from the unions, Dr Opadeyi said that the UG Council and Administration will have to make the final decision on the way forward if the situation persists. “It’s not for me to buckle, the Council and Administration will have to decide. The University has no money to pay the 60 per cent increase. This could bankrupt the University. I will not be part of any plan to bankrupt the University,” he told Guyana Times.
The VC has been asked to make the University financially sound and operationally efficient. These are noble goals that should be supported. But to apply a cost cutting approach to a meatless bone such as an undernourished national institution is the wrong approach.
Any offer from the Vice Chancellor of the UG Council (the Board) is an offer from the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of education through the Ministry of Finance (the Budget) , through the Cabinet, through the President.
The buck stops with the President and with Parliament being dissolved this week (and hence the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and the Cabinet being legally dissolved), only the President can save this sad situation. Perhaps some of the funds from GGMC can be used as a short term loan.
Hopefully, the students of UG can soon return to classes. One of the recommendations I had made during UIG’s 50th anniversary was for UG to hire an International Merchant Bank to source US$50 M from the many Foundations and Trusts available globally.
This is still a possibility. But today, the only possibility of classes resuming without a bitter taste of all the engaged and aggrieved Parties, is the president’s love of ‘Cheddi Jagan’s Night School’.
A one year 30% increase and the promise to have the situation revisited in the next budget made move everyone back from the brink.
Eric Phillips

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