Dear Editor,
Governments in modern societies pride themselves on their ability to make available to their citizens educational opportunities for building a labour force and a citizenry that are capable of living in a contemporary world.
In particular, governments know that social cohesion and progress cannot be attained and sustained if this basic right is denied. Yet we find today that the Government of Guyana has gone off the deep end by denying young people a chance at accessing education. In this regard, I refer to the decision of the Guyana Government to deny funding to Critchlow Labour College.
The impression one gets from reading the newspapers is that the government has some disagreement with the political structure and governing body of the college and not necessarily with the students who attend the college. If this is an accurate assessment, then the government is wrong, for students are being penalized for misunderstandings that are beyond their grasp and above their control. How could this be?
The work of Critchlow Labour College is not only important from the perspective of empowering workers, but it is also important for sustaining the vision and legacy of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, a national hero, whose work predates that of presidents Burnham and Jagan. We show our respect for Critchlow’s legacy by allowing workers a second chance at accessing the benefits of education, knowing that their first attempt at an earlier age may have been sidetracked by family misfortune. The Minister of Agriculture, who it is alleged attended Critchlow Labour College, should be the first to disassociate himself from this perfidy of denying young people a chance at being educated. These young people, in a land where crime and unemployment abound, have taken the high ground.
They have embraced education as a means of self-improvement and as a process of upgrading their skills for the ever-changing demands of the global labour market. The Government of Guyana cannot and must not turn their eyes against these young people.
Recent examination results from the college appear to indicate that student performances were reasonable and the faculty and staff have been delivering on their mandate. I therefore implore the government not to deny the educational opportunities now available, as the alternatives for young people in Guyana are slim and none, with the economy ending in joblessness and jobless growth.
I urge the government to rise above this triviality and find another way to resolve the political issues at the Critchlow Labour College.
Yours faithfully,
Dr C Kenrick Hunte
