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Workers up in arms against govt. for imposing IMC at Linden Co-op
Kaieteur News – On Wednesday, staff members and directors of the Linden Utility Services Co-op Society Limited (LUSCSL), participated in a sit-out following a decision by the Ministry of Labour to dissolve the board and to install an Interim Management Committee (IMC), to run the affairs of Cooperative.
LUSCSL staff participating in a sit-out
In a correspondence to the Board, Chief Cooperative Development Officer Debbie Persaud, informed the directors that as a result of their incompetence, an IMC will manage the affairs of the Coop. “I am of the opinion that the current Committee of Management is unable to manage the affairs of Linden’s Utility Services Cooperative Society Ltd,” the correspondence noted.
In a subsequent press release, the Ministry of Labour stated that one of the reasons for the decision was because of the need for accountability and transparency. It noted too that no Annual General Meeting was held for the co-op since 2014, despite this must be held annually. The Ministry also raised the issues of conflict of interest; lack of audits and no payment of dividends to members.
Deposed Chairman of the Board Charles Sampson has rejected the correspondence. He said he will respond to it formally. Sampson said what is more troubling is that one committee member of the deposed board will join the IMC which he said is part of the reason the staff are holding the sit out. He alleges that it was because of reports made from the same member to the Department of Coop, resulted in the board being dissolved and that he was the only member considered because of politics.
“I am disappointed because the all of the complaints that were sent to the Ministry of Labour should have been properly investigated, you cannot believe one side of the story and continue to accept one side of the story because that person must have a certain political affiliation. We have been running the society for years and I think we have been doing a fairly good job.”
Members of the newly installed Interim Management Committee
Speaking on the issue of not holding AGM, Sampson said that no company is perfect and there were reasons for not holding the meeting. He said plans were however on stream to do so in two months. “I expect better from people at certain levels of government, you have to be fairer and more balance when you go to do certain things, because these things will impact this community,” Sampson said.
Meanwhile, staff members expressed concerns about the dissolution of the board and the manner in which it was done. They also expressed concern that one board member who has been threatening them is the only one placed on the IMC. “I am very, very disappointed and annoyed because I heard that this individual coming on this interim committee gunning for staff and that is wrong…you have to remove the entire board, the entire board has to go, a new board must come on,” staff member Anthony Waldron said.
Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton, told Kaieteur News that the Chief Cooperative Development Officer, Debbie Persaud exercised her power and authority to disband the board since investigations revealed that the Coop was managed without accountability and transparency. He said that the Coop Department is in possession of several complaints from members – the latest being a petition from 18 members including executive directors, to take action against the board. He said the board is acting unconstitutionally. These actions he said, will run the coop society, which is the utility company providing electricity for the Wismar shore, bankrupt and thousands of residents will be at risk of long periods of power outages.
He said the coop currently has about $20M in its accounts, $11M which needs to be paid to someone as legal fees. Relative to the accusation of placing a director from the dissolved board on the IMC, the Minister said the CCDO has the authority to install whomever she sees fit and there is no law stating that an old board member must not be placed on an IMC. He said the first order of business of the IMC will be to carry out audits and hold a long overdue election.
The new board members are Mr. Renee McDonald, Chairwoman, Mr. Winston Caesar, Mr. Hilton Lyle, Ms. Wanda Richmond, Mr. Courtney Handy, Mr. Leon Greaves and Ms. Latoya Walks. LUSCSL has been in existence for over 60 years and is owned by residents of Wismar.
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