Dear Editor,
Things are unfolding quickly in Guyana and the new government seems anxious to restore decency, and informed and intelligent decision-making at the level of central government. I noticed some interesting revelations by President Granger at his meeting with senior public servants. First his promise that experience and competence will be the principal qualifications for promotion in the public service. This is encouraging as it will replace the old system of mere seniority and party affiliation as the basis of promotion.
Secondly that the retirement age for workers in the public service will be revised with the intent of retaining expertise past the age of 55 and 60; this is long overdue. Sending public servants home at age 55 and 60 in a country that is losing skills to migration at the speed of a jet plane is both suicidal and stupid.
It was either in 2013 or 2014 a teacher in California was recognized for his long service to education; at the time he was 90 years old. Yes, he is now over the age of 90 and teaching, in a country where there is no shortage of skills of the magnitude that prevails in poor Guyana. America understands what has to be done to ensure its children at all levels are exposed to the most competent teachers possible.
So why in Guyana are we sending our best, brightest and most experienced teachers and other public servants home at age 55 and 60? The answer is simple: the economy is not producing as many new jobs as a healthy economy should. Manufacturing is at a virtual standstill, our economy still depends largely on sugar, rice and gold; little else is happening. The Chinese are exploiting our forest but no value-added products are being produced, so young people coming out of schools can’t look forward to finding jobs in new industries. In such a situation the only way of creating employment for these young people is by sending workers home at ages 55 and 60, thus freeing up slots for new recruits.
In my days as a student at the University of Guyana I was fortunate to be taught by the likes of Michael Parris, Burkeley Stuart, Gordon Payne, Dr Tara Singh, Dr Ken Danns (Dr Danns might have left before the age of retirement), men at the top of their game, sent packing from the university, why? They turned 60 years old.
For crying out loud, why would the University of Guyana seek to get rid of someone like Freddie Kissoon simply because he turned age 60? No matter one’s disagreement with his politics one would have to admit that he is extremely intelligent, his knowledge base sound and a person who provokes others to think out of the box. We send such persons home at age 60, while here in the USA we celebrate a teacher 90 years old and still teaching!
In this regard Guyana could be rightfully dubbed ‘the insane society.’ Perhaps it is in recognition of this insane practice of sending home experienced and skilled workers merely because of their age that led President Granger to concede the need to maintain the practice of contract workers in the public service.
Yours faithfully,
Claudius Prince
