Guyanese sculptor, Ian Thom has resumed duties as administrator of the E R Burrowes School of Art after an intervention by a senior government official following an incident with Minister of Culture, Charles Ramson.
Thom told Stabroek News yesterday that while he was not offered an apology, he did not ask for one, but made a decision based on his relationship with the students at the school. He stated that he has a great team at the school that works hard to help the students achieve their goals. The administrator also recounted his journey at the school and his optimism about his students.
Thom highlighted that as he resumes office, there are some things, however, that he would not tolerate.
Stabroek News understands that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo contacted Thom and asked him to resume his duties as administrator after his resignation that was triggered by an altercation followed by a meeting with Ramson. According to reports, Thom had said that he felt disrespected and subsequently resigned.
Thom related that on September 7, he was verbally abused with racial slurs by a member of the public, which, he said, contributed to his decision to step down from his post.
According to Thom, the confrontation occurred as he was preparing to leave the art school after completing work on a sculpture of former PPP/C cabinet secretary, the late Dr Roger Luncheon. As he readied his car to depart, there was a red SUV parked in a manner that made it difficult for him to exit without risking a collision. He then approached the driver of the SUV and informed him that the parking lot was reserved for students and staff of the school to which the SUV driver became enraged and hurled racial slurs at him. A passenger in the SUV then apparently made a call to Ramson.
Shortly afterwards, Thom said he received a call from the Director of Culture, who informed him that the minister wished to speak with him. On his way to the ministry he received another call from the Permanent Secretary, urging him to come in. He told the Permanent Secretary that he was already at the building.
He was then directed to a boardroom where he was left waiting for 45 minutes. When the meeting finally began, Thom said he recounted the parking lot incident, to which, he claimed, the minister responded with hostility. Ramson has thus far made no public statement on the incident. According to Thom, Ramson told him he had no right to blow his horn at anyone or to dictate parking arrangements.
Thom said that this was not the first time he had endured such treatment from the minister, recalling two previous occasions where Ramson had shouted at him. After reflecting on the situation, he concluded that he could no longer tolerate the disrespect and mistreatment, and tendered his resignation.
Ramson, a source explained, made it clear that the person who had abused Thom in the parking lot was in no way connected to the PPP/C or the government. He however directed that incidents regarding ancillary matters such as parking be left to the staff that handle them. It is unclear why Ramson would have sought to summon the Director over such an incident when Thom was the one who was wronged.
