Ramkarran says trade unionism needs to modernise

…along with the changing dynamics in Guyana

In wake of a very contentious elections campaign for the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) presidency, the obvious lack of youth and modernity reflected by the leadership was on full display. The elderly incumbent president has, after all, been in that seat for 30 years.

Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, has noted in his most recent column that the GPSU needs to modernise along with the changing dynamics in Guyana.

According to Ramkarran, it is not just the GPSU which could do with a revamp, but trade unionism in its entirety in Guyana.

“Trade unionism in Guyana needs a dose of modernisation and a reorientation of both its goals and methods. Without a growing economy, workers’ rights and benefits cannot expand and be defended. Only new and modern leadership can raise the game of the trade union movement,” he explained.

He noted that the three large unions: the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), and the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), all have leaders who have been entrenched in office for thirty years or more. The Trades Union Congress, he noted, also has Lincoln Lewis as its longstanding General Secretary.

Acknowledging that these leaders cannot be faulted for their commitment to trade unionism, workers’ rights, and members’ welfare, Ramkarran noted that except for GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine, there were few persons of a younger generation in leadership positions in these unions.

Yarde has been at the helm of the GPSU for a staggering 30 years, having weathered many attempts to unseat him from the presidential incumbency; but in the run-up to this year’s elections, members took a more determined stand against Yarde, with one area of contention being the accounts of the union.

GPSU members have, this year, protested against Yarde continuing to be president of the union, and have even moved to the High Court in this regard. An interim injunction granted them by Justice Nareshwar Harnanan sought to restrain the respondents or their servants or agents “from holding or attempting to hold an election for office bearers for the Executive Council of the Guyana Public Service Union until the 3rd day of May, 2017 or sooner.”

This injunction had also stipulated that its respondents would not have been able to hold elections for office bearers unless there was “production by the respondents of the Auditor General’s report to the applicant (for the injunction) and members of the Guyana Public Service Union, and the audited treasurer’s report for the Guyana Public Service Union for the past 12 years to date.”

This injunction was applied for by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes on behalf of Gregory Gaspar, who is the Chairman of the GPSU Branch 72. It was dismissed on April 25, clearing the way for elections to be held for office bearers of the GPSU. Gaspar participated in those elections.

The entire elections affair was steeped in drama, and at one point Police had to be called in at the GPSU Headquarters because of the standoff resulting from the refusal of election officials to provide the voters list to supporters of Gaspar and other members.

In a strongly worded letter addressed to Elections Officer Herman De Souza, Gaspar also complained that he had requested the list of eligible voters on April 23, 26, 27, 28 and 29, but was never provided with same. He also complained about ballot boxes being delivered without elections officers or their assistants being present to receive them.

The letter also raised the issue of the absence of statements of poll for outlying regions such as Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) being made available to members.

Gaspar had also expressed concern about the condition in which some of the boxes arrived, and contended that a Region Three ballot box had been tampered with. He said also that allegations that votes from non-eligible voters were placed in the box should be reviewed before finalising the elections.

Contending that, in one case, four ballot boxes from Linden, Region 10, had arrived with three seals broken, Gaspar related that he had approached the elections officer earlier, but was told that they were given three seals for each box.