Akeel, in a statement issued yesterday in which he sought to formally clear the air as requested by the GTU, said "although I tried to be impartial, I was accused of being biased".

He explained that at a meeting held on Monday under his chairmanship to formulate terms to end the current strike by teachers, the union accused him of being biased claiming that despite their request to clear the air with respect to the non-attendance of the union at the meeting fixed for December 19, 2002, he failed to do so.

"Notwithstanding that I advised the union that I was not inclined to be involved in the claims and counter-claims by the ministry and the union and further that I did not read most of the statements made since my ministry does not provide me with the Stabroek News and Kaieteur where most of the trading took place, the union insisted that I should clear the air," Akeel said.

In this regard, he recalled that on December 18, 2002 he received a letter from the union requesting that the wages dispute be referred to arbitration.

According to Akeel, the last sentence of the letter read: "We would be grateful if this matter can be dealt with expeditiously".

The Chief Labour Officer said he immediately requested an officer to arrange a meeting for 08:30 hrs on December 19, 2002, which was the next day.

He said at 8:30 hrs on December 19, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education came to the meeting but the union did not.

"The officer having not indicated to me whether the meeting was arranged or not and not being in office, I presumed, since the Permanent Secretary was invited and was present, that the meeting was arranged and that the union advised that the meeting be rescheduled," he said.

He said later that morning, he spoke with the officer who advised him that he had spoken with the General Secretary of the union "who advised that she could not then confirm the meeting, as she had to speak with the President (of the union)".

"She promised to respond by 4:00 p.m (16:00 hrs) but she did not, despite their request for the matter to be dealt with expeditiously," Akeel reported.

He further pointed out that by letter dated December 19, 2002 the union insisted that he clear the air with the media. The Chief Labour Officer said he did not go to the media but instead wrote the union directly (on December 30, 2002).

"At no time, whether verbally or in writing, did I state that the union was not invited to the meeting as claimed by the union in its letter of 19 December, 2002 and otherwise or that it did not get the notice on time as one columnist claimed I said."

"Notwithstanding that in its letter of 19 December, 2002, the union stated that it was formally informed on the 20 December, 2002 of the decision by the Ministry of Education that it would not submit itself to arbitration, the union requested, by letter dated 13 January, 2003, that an urgent meeting be rescheduled to discuss same.