Dear Editor,
It is with great interest and concern that I have read in the Sunday Stabroek editions of March 16 and 30, two notices, one under the hand of the Chief Co-operative Development Officer, and the other by the Registrar of Friendly Societies – both being the same officer.
Please permit me to enquire of the motive behind both publications. Are we to assume that in the case of the co-operatives that are to be cancelled, that they can now apply to become members of Registered Friendly Societies? If not, can Ms Valz explain the difference.
Can the officer and her team answer the following questions to the satisfaction of the many affected Guyanese.
(1) How many co-operatives were spared the ‘listing’?
(2) How many Co-operative Officers were employed per region before 2011, in 2011, 2012, 2013?
(3) How often were co-operatives in each region visited by Co-operative officials? Which? When?
(4) When last did the Chief/Deputy Chief, accompanied by the officer in the region, visit these co-operatives?
(5) What is the budgetary allocation for the Department of Co-operatives, and what is its breakdown for the years 2011-2014?
(6) Where can the co-operatives receive or acquire available materials for their smooth functioning and guidance – (passbooks, receipt books, ledgers, etc).
(7) Does the Co-operatives Department publish a Register of the Auditors, approved by the department for each region?
Answers to these questions will indicate the emphasis placed on co-operatives in the last five years. I think that the department needs to look inward and put its house in order before casting aspersions on the co-operatives.
I relate the co-operatives to students preparing their SBAs without the necessary teachers, each child expressing in his own way how he sees things. The role of the teacher is to give guidance. Similarly, the co-operatives have been doing things in their own way, and in many instances, very successfully. Some, such as the Fishermen’s Co-operatives, the Police Con-sumers’ Co-operative, some Consumer Co-operative Societies, some Land Co-operatives, not to mention the Co-operative Credit Unions, have made significant contributions to this economy. The contribution exceeded the amount catered for in the 2014 Budget.
Why register new Societies as Friendly Societies when those registered under the department’s care are languishing? Are not these new ones destined for the same fate?
I would suggest that the department hold countrywide meetings/seminars, invite officers from each co-operative, listen to their complaints/grievances and see how the team can remedy the situation.
If a head teacher loses 212 of his class as failures, he surely should call in his teachers and find out what the problems are, not close the doors to the students.
Please correct the present position or strike out the name ‘Co-operative’ in the Republic of Guyana. Let us strive to continue the hopes, dreams and aspirations of those of yesteryear, such as Mr Ken Jervis, Mr Wesley De Mendonca, Mr Dowden, Mr James Fraser, Ms Virginia Richmond Patterson, Ms Grace Devonish, Ms Thelma Gaskin, and other torch bearers of the Co-operative movement.
Long live the ‘Co-operative’ Republic of Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
