Guyanese journalist Perry Woolford is considering a legal challenge to the non-renewal of his contract with Radio Broadcasting Foundation Suriname (SRS), which is pulling his services because he cannot speak Dutch.
According to a report in the Dutch Star Nieuws, Woolford was given notice of the station’s intention late last week. The report quoted Managing Member of the Supervisory Board of SRS Gerolf Vliet as saying that they would assist Woolford in finding a new job. Vlied said, according to the report, that SRS has no room for an English journalist.
“We have not fired (him)…his contract (is) not being renewed,” Vliet was quoted as saying, while further advising that Woolford should look for another job where his services are needed. The report said that Woolford did not agree with the reason given by Vliet and while he did not want to say more, he indicated that the issue is much more than what is being said.
Woolford also charged favouritism or discrimination. He also questioned if the station’s management was looking for another job for him, why they were not doing it in consultation with him. According to the Star Nieuws, Woolford said that he understands that Vliet is in dialogue with a private radio station with the aim of securing employment for him. He said he would mount a legal challenge to his termination if necessary.
The Star Nieuws reported that Woolford is Guyanese by birth and since March 1, 2007 was on the payroll of SRS. The report said that Woolford was the first media worker in Suriname working under CARICOM’s free movement of skills principle. He has a free-skilled certificate issued by the Ministry of Labour Technological Development and Environment (ATM).
While at SRS, Woolford hosted the radio station’s English-language programmes ‘Capital News,’ ‘Nightline’ and ‘Knowing CARICOM.’ On these programmes, he focused mainly on news and current affairs in CARICOM and Suriname. He hosted guests from Caricom on Nightline, a programme on which the Organisation of American States (OAS) Representative Dwight Bramble was a regular.
Star Nieuws reported Vliet as saying that the English programmes do not have the desired impact and Woolford’s inability to speak Dutch is a major problem. “If I offer my services in Guyana, they first ask me how well I speak English,” Vliet said.
He stressed that Woolford has not been fired and revealed that his contract has no end date and it is an issue that would have to be fixed. He said they would help Woolford find another job, disclosing that they are talking to Sky Radio.
