Dear Editor,
I wish to applaud the Minister of Education for making possible a day of public consultation on our local university. It was long overdue and provided a platform for all and sundry to make their contributions on the future of the university.
I noted the conspicuous absence of the Pro-Chancellor, Dr Prem Misir who is also Chairman of the University of Guyana’s Council, his chief ally, Dr Nanda Gopaul and the constant critic Freddie Kissoon. In contrast, there was in attendance Dr James Rose, the Vice Chancellor, Mr Tota Mangar the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Mr Al Creighton the former Deputy VC. I have since heard that Drs Misir and Gopaul boycotted the public consultation because of their differences with the Minister of Education.
This is completely unacceptable and I believe it would be in order for Cabinet to question why these two key members of the UG Council who are supposedly government people could simply decide they will not attend.
I wonder could they not put aside their petty differences and attend a public consultation in the national interest. In my mind, it shows perfectly the fragmentation of the university, the UG Council and the nasty politics that is being played out at the expense of the development of the University as a national asset.
Freddie Kissoon is another disappointment since he likes to play an authority on UG and a critic on every aspect of political life yet he was not there to put his two cents in. It just goes to show how some men prefer to be armchair generals and criticise from the safety of their homes with pen and paper rather than come out in public and articulate their concerns publicly and defend them. With all of his public writings on UG when the public forum is made available, Mr Kissoon is thunderously silent by his absence.
These guys cannot be serious about the development of the university. They are concerned about manipulating the council, promoting their own interests and conspiring to force their own decisions on the university such as the promotion of Dr Madan Gopaul who has passed the age of retirement.
The President should fire the entire UG Council and appoint an interim management committee made up of technocrats, managers and the private sector.
Yours faithfully,
E L K Khan
