Dear Editor,
Having been invited by way of a September 30, 2019 instrument under the hand of Ms Marcia Crawford, Human Resources Manager, GECOM and captioned ‘Training for temporary Management Staff’, I presented myself at approximately 08:10h on October 06, 2019 to the registration clerk at La Bonne Intention Secondary School training venue.
A caveat: for reasons enshrined in and protected by the constitution of our republic – the constitution by which GECOM is guided – I was unable to be in attendance on Saturday October 05, 2019. The registration clerk wasted no time advising that I was denied entry to the training exercise for the specific reason that I was not present on Saturday, October 05, 2019. I expressed disappointment with her stance and related the reason for my absence. It appeared that she subsequently made a number of telephone calls to individuals with authority greater than hers. The name of one of the individuals was, purportedly, Mr. Jagdeo – no pun intended – coordinator of simultaneous training exercises at both La Bonne Intention Secondary School and Hope Secondary School. She then advised that she must maintain her stance.
I then personally made a call to the GECOM office and was advised that the posture of the registration clerk was consistent with GECOM’s policy. Next, I requested of the clerk, an opportunity to represent my case directly with the coordinator of training. Some two and one half hours of waiting made no difference. I was denied direct communication with the coordinator, either in person or by phone. I requested, several times, to be issued the training materials I was due and to be seated in the training environment. Neither request was honoured.
I here propose that GECOM’s policy and related actions, alluded to above, are discriminatory.
This specific GECOM policy and the attending actions, jointly and severally, denied me access to a better understanding of elections related matters and to be better positioned to be temporarily employed by GECOM.
I propose that my having been invited to be trained, and my having presented myself to be trained, GECOM was duty bound to issue me the training materials and to train me. GECOM could identify no posture/conduct/disposition of mine which prevented them, on Sunday October 06, 2019, issuing me the training materials and training me.
Yours faithfully,
Gavin Houston
