Students movement formed to better UG campus life

Aug 01, 2019 News

A group of 15 students at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus, has formed the Students Action Movement (SAM) aimed at facilitating positive and tangible changes through activism.

President of SAM: Jafar Gibbons

Formed last March, SAM is headed by Jafar Gibbons, a second year International Relations student, who is passionate about improving the standards of the country’s premiere tertiary educational institution.
During an interview with this publication, Gibbons said that the first project undertaken by the movement was the cleaning of washrooms on July 21, last.
He said, “One of the washrooms, the male one under the Education building, has since been requested to be placed “out of order” since the drainage doesn’t work and urine fills the urinal. The toilet in there does not flush also.”
Washrooms at the Multi Purpose Building (MPB), George Walcott Lecture Theatre and the Library were also cleaned.
While Gibbons admitted that annual facilities fees of $50,000 per student should cover these basic undertakings, he estimated that several washrooms across the campus are without toilet tissue and are not cleaned regularly.

Some of the facilities that were cleaned by the Student Action Movement

He said, “We (SAM) also have been looking at providing tissues and hand sanitizers for the washrooms. The facilities fees should cover such issues and concerns but the reality is it does not.”
About 45 percent of the washrooms are left without tissues. According to Gibbons, female washrooms across campus are plagued with the issue of overflowing sanitary bins due to them not being emptied regularly. Moreover, SAM is looking at placing concrete ramps at critical points on campus to facilitate students using wheelchair.
Gibbons explained that SAM is representing and articulating students concerns which lend support to the mandate of the University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS). In this regard, he is urging current and prospective students to join the movement.
Thus far, the university’s administration has been favourably receptive of the new movement and has been providing its members with time and space to operate.