Feuding in the Guyana Public Service Co-operative Credit Union (GPSCCU) has reached fever pitch with one of the factions taking out an advertisement to deny that a Special General Meeting of Members has been called for June 25, 2022.
In an advertisement in yesterday’s Sunday Stabroek, Karen Vanslutyman-Corbin who described herself as Chairman of the Committee of Management of the credit union asserted that there was no special meeting as was purportedly called in favour of a rival faction headed by Chairman of the credit union, Trevor Benn.
“Please be advised that the Notice for the Special General Meeting dated May 18, 2022 is null and void. A meeting was held dated June 2, 2022 with all twelve (12) Members of the Committee of Management and it was agreed that the said Notice did not meet the necessary criteria for a Special General Meeting of the members.
“The said Special General Meeting was not sanctioned by the Department of Cooperatives, Ministry of Labour and therefore the (GPSCCU) wishes to advise its membership that the said Notice was not placed by or on behalf of the Credit Union”, the advertisement said.
Vanslutyman-Corbin further said that the Committee of Management wished to advise that an Annual General Meeting shall be convened in accordance with the Co-operative Societies Act Regulation 14 Chapter 88:01 of the Laws of Guyana as soon as the necessary requirements are met to facilitate such a meeting. Members are to be notified of an appropriate date.
With thousands of members and in control of a large amount of money, the credit union has become embroiled in a bitter power struggle. The most recent manifestation of the infighting was the replacement by the management committee of Vice Chairman Patrick Mentore with one of their own. This enabled the unanimous decision referred to by Vanslutyman-Corbin ruling that the notice for the June 25th meeting was null and void.
Mentore had complied with request from members and given notice that the Special General Meeting, which would include electing a new Committee, would be held on June 25.
After seeking to remove its chairman, Trevor Benn, the management committee of the public service credit union itself came under pressure several weeks ago when over 375 members moved for the removal of the entire body and the announcement of new elections within 14 days. That number has now increased to nearly 2,000.
The committee and its members have been at loggerheads over the No Confidence Motion the committee said it brought against Benn.
It was under Mentore, who was then acting as Chair, that members moved to have a Special General Meeting called on June 25th so that they could remove the entire committee, having stated that they had no confidence in it.
“Pursuant to Regulation 16 of the Co-operatives Societies Regulations, Cap 88:01, I hereby give notice that a special General Meeting… will be held on Saturday June 25th 2022 at 10:00hrs …,” that notice stated, informing that motions to be brought before the meeting must be submitted to the Secretary of the Committee, two days before.
The standoff raises the possibility of more legal action in the affairs of the GPSCCU.
Dictatorial
The actions of the committee triggered the ire of members who voiced their disquiet, accusing the committee of being dictatorial.
But as the members expressed their opinions on the Union’s social media account, their comments were deleted with only few remaining.
“Well, with members’ posts being deleted, it’s clear who is behind the installed management committee. We know who believe in silencing the people. Come on Guyanese we are smart people,” Rhonda Isaacs wrote on the GPSCCU’s Facebook page.
Her views were shared by many other persons who took to the social media platform to air their views. But no sooner were views posted, than most were deleted, leaving angry and frustrated members taking to other platforms to express themselves.
“So my comment was somehow removed, so I don’t have a legitimate right as a member to demand that the chair and board whoever you all are to let the members know what is the state of the credit union? You all please remember is people MONEY you all dealing with,” Kacy David posted.
For member, Dorette Husband, a long list of questions to the credit union remain unanswered.
“As a member of the Public Service Credit Union for more than twenty years I’m truly disappointed, angry, and horrified at the way the Public Service Credit Union is conducting its business. I have a few concerns that I would like the committee members to address as soon as possible: 1. Why was a no confidence motion brought and moved against Mr Benn in his absence and is that in keeping with the protocols of this institution? 2. Where in the bylaws have power been bestowed upon the committee members giving them the legal right to reconvene a meeting that was subsequently (adjourned) by the vice chairman and vote him out as vice chairman in his absence, is that protocol?” she questioned.
“3. How am I as a member to trust this committee that is clearly demonstrating a sinister agenda, please elaborate? 4. Why as a member am I (being) informed of these alarming issues by the media and not via a members meeting?” she added while “demanding the committee schedule a meeting with its members to discuss” the issues she highlighted.
Under Section 16 of the Cooperative Societies Act, members could demand from the committee that a special general meeting be called. “A special meeting of members may be convened at any time by the committee; and on receipt of a demand stating the object of the proposed meeting signed by not less than one fifth of the members of the registered society, if such society is composed of not more than 100 members, or by twenty-five members if such society consists of more than one hundred members, it shall be the duty of the Chairman of the committee to convene such a meeting giving eight days’ notice. If the Chairman of the committee fails to convene the meeting within fourteen days from the receipt of a demand as aforesaid, the members applying for such a meeting will have the right to convene the meeting by notice which must contain the object of the proposed meeting and a statement to the effect that the meeting is convened on the failure of the Chairman of the committee to convene the meeting demanded…” it states.
