As the court ordered mediation began yesterday between the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the government, a proposal was submitted by the GTU and the focus continues to be on teachers’ resumption of classes.
While the mediation exercise is expected to continue on Monday, both the government and the GTU expressed optimism about the process. The government’s delegation comprised Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain and Regional Education Officer for Region Four, Tiffany Harvey; while the GTU’s delegation comprised President, Mark Lyte; Second Vice Presi-dent, Julian Cambridge; Regional Vice President (Demerara), Collis Nicholson, and Treasurer, Sumanta Alleyne.
After the first round of the mediation in the morning which lasted four hours, attorney-at-law, Darren Wade, told reporters that the union had made a proposal for the state’s attorney to confirm with the authorities and return at noon for further discussions. The proposal made was not disclosed, however, Wade concluded that he was very optimistic.
Darshan Ramdhani KC, who represented the state, noted that the mediation session was fruitful and that the mediators have been doing a good job thus far. However, he is hopeful that there will be a reason for teachers to return to the classrooms, as he assured that the government’s priority is to have the teachers return to schools. He added that the government is prepared to engage with the union to have normalcy prevail and concluded that a mechanism is being discussed on the way forward.
The team returned to the court room at 14:00 hours and concluded the session approximately two hours after. Wade spoke on behalf of the union and explained that they were asked by the mediators not to discuss the issues with the media or the public as they trust the process will arrive at a resolution soon.
Court-appointed mediators, Senior Counsel Edward Luckhoo and Senior Counsel Robin Stoby spoke briefly with reporters and Luckhoo stated that he is optimistic.
Meanwhile teachers gathered outside the High Court on Friday while the mediation process was ongoing with the hope of hearing uplifting news.
Luckhoo and Stoby were appointed as mediators on Thursday by Justice Sandil Kissoon after he enquired why there had been no talks between the two sides since the teachers strike began on February 5th for better salaries and collective bargaining. When he had made the enquiry, the judge was disposing of a contempt of court matter on which he had summoned Chief Education Officer (CEO), Saddam Hussain. The CEO had issued a memo warning teachers about deductions from their salaries for the days that they were on strike. The judge deemed this as contemptuous as he had issued conservatory orders the previous week until the hearing of the substantive matter brought by the GTU. Hussain duly apologised and withdrew the memorandum. It was then the judge raised the matter of mediation.
The GTU immediately agreed but Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC asked for 24 hours for consultation with his principals. When he returned to court on Thursday, Nandlall sought the opportunity to enable direct talks between the government and the union but the judge ordered mediation from yesterday in court three of the High Court.
Over the duration of the strike, Chief Labour Officer Dhaneshwar Deonarine made no known attempt to bring the two sides together.
On Thursday the government issued a statement saying that while it did not thing that judicial intervention was necessary in this case it would comply with the judge’s directive.
“While the Government does not think that judicial intervention was necessary, having regard to the established industrial practices referred to above, the Government will participate in the process with the firm expectation that it will put teachers back into the classrooms, as the Government’s paramount concern always is, and will remain, the best interests and welfare of the Nation’s students”, the government statement said.
The teachers’ strike from February 5th attracted support from all across the country particularly in regions two and six which are seen as supportive of the government. Daily protests were held outside the Education Ministry in Georgetown, other ministries and regional education offices. Parents and children also joined in in the protests.
The industrial action by the teachers saw some schools not operating at all as neither teachers nor children showed up. Some parents stopped sending their children to school out of uncertainty as to what was happening at the schools.
