Coretta McDonald has lost her way as a representative of workers

Jun 26, 2020 Letters

Dear Editor,

I was scrolling through Facebook on June 24 and saw an interesting debate between former minister, Priya Manickchand and GTUC President and GTU General Secretary, Ms. Coretta McDonald as it relates to a statement issued by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) on the current political situation.

Ms McDonald, who is also a candidate of the APNU+AFC, was very critical of the Federation’s sentiments which reflect the thoughts of a large cross-section of the rational thinking Guyanese nation. The learned lady has obviously thrown away her trade union cap and has become, it appears, a full-blown politician. Of course, that is her right though she should not seek to masquerade as something she is not.

In clutching at straws, like many of her political colleagues, she sought to castigate the FITUG for remaining silent on other matters. As someone who tries to follow the news regularly and I do not believe I am losing my wits as yet at least, I felt Ms McDonald was barking up the wrong tree. However not to be mistaken, I decided to do some research.

Indeed I am happy to report my memory is intact. My search informed me that the FITUG has been very much vocal on matters of workers concern. I saw when Ms. McDonald’s teachers were striking, the FITUG lent its voice; that organization also lent its voice and bodies to stand up with the RUSAL workers, and more recently expressed its concern about the teachers returning to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. But apart from that I saw the FITUG making several positive recommendations to the Government as it regarded COVID-19 assistance and prior to that spoke up for workers during its engagements on the budgets with the Finance Minister.

I must add that I didn’t see Ms McDonald as vociferous, as she is now, on those matters. Clearly, it seems Ms McDonald, who I felt had a bright future as a workers’ leader, has lost her way and has succumbed to political pressure and abandoned her cause.

Yours sincerely,

Patricia Persaud