| – Accuses Vice Chancellor of taking decisions not in the best interest of institution By Rabindra Rooplall With chants of “No money, no work,” the staff of the University of Guyana (UG) yesterday continued their protest to address what they call the mismanagement of the tertiary institution.Issues raised in the protest ranged from staff not being able to access drinking water because of no petty cash, to non-payments of all deductions for social security, credit union, pension, income tax and insurance deductions.Some of the placards read: “Dear God please step down and save UG,” “Union Power No Dictator,” “Here Lies University of Guyana Born-1963; Died yesterday RIP,” “ If you are here for the Money Go home,” “To help UG is to help all our children,” “To educate is to liberate for nation building,” and “Workers power versus dictatorship.”Workers with placards showing their disapproval of the present conditions at the university.The staff at the institution plans to strike all week and if necessary, shut the institution down until some semblance of respect for the staff members is met, beginning with their salaries being paid on time.“The University doesn’t have money; it doesn’t even have money to run its departments. There are some departments that don’t even have water. Not even a leaky roof is fixed because no funds are available to purchase basic materials. Even repairs to computers and purchase of ink and paper cannot be done because of lack of funding,” staff lamented.Underscoring that the stores have been depleted of supplies, staff members noted that until the University’s Vice Chancellor Professor Jacob Opadeyi approves such transactions then funds are released. However, since the Nigeria-born naturalised national of Trinidad and Tobago was appointed Vice Chancellor in December 2012 and began operation in February 2013 he has mismanaged his portfolio.“All the university does is hustle to pay us and our benefits like the NIS and other benefits are not dealt with and paid over. It is such a bad situation that the person acting in the accountant position is even afraid to make basic decisions,” another staff noted.The staff further explained that their perspectives are not even being solicited in finding solutions to the challenges for the institution although many persons have valuable opinions.“The Vice Chancellor even wants to close down the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) because of claims that the sector is not making any money. This is being contemplated without even speaking with respective staff to seek better options or to inquire if the accounts have been properly audited. Rash decisions are being made without logical solutions.”According to other staff, the authorities are claiming that inflation is being kept at bay and calls for increased salaries are undue. The University is an autonomous body but unfortunately the staff source of income is being derived from the Government. The fees of the institution have not been raised which would be one way of ensuring the budget is balanced, but the heavy reliance on Government, forces systems to work against each other.“Only recently we had to change the fiscal and academic year to accommodate the government year because of fiscal inflows,” one staff member noted. “We have serious financial problems in spending and gaining income.”The staff further accused the University’s Vice Chancellor of taking decisions not in the best interest of the institution. “He has not succeeded in pushing the government into more funding for the university, not even gaining support of the council which needs to support his decisions.”“People turn up at the credit union and could not get a loan. If you get sick and go to NIS, people are not getting benefits along with other agencies with claims being made by staff.”The staff underscored that stray dogs on occasions even attack workers. There are other unsatisfactory conditions that the workers’ unions plan to take up with the relevant authorities pertaining to the Occupational Health and Safety assessment.The University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU) and Senior Staff Association, (UGSSA), together, plan to take legal action on behalf of their members.Vice Chancellor Professor Jacob Opadeyi was not in the country to give a comment on measures being taken to ensure workers are paid on time.Nevertheless,Cheap MLB Gear, reports disclosed that on average $60 million is provided monthly to the university. However, this is inadequate since more funding is needed to pay part-time lecturers, retirees, staff taking study leave and gratuities. |
