A row has erupted at the Tain Campus of the University of Guyana between the Senior Staff Association and the administration over a decision by the Faculty of Social Sciences to halt classes until tomorrow.
The row follows a press release by the staff association on Wednesday from its secretary, Dr Rishee Thakur. The release said, inter alia, “We are also in full support of the Faculty of Social Sciences in their call for a period of mourning to last until and including Saturday March 8 and appeal to our colleagues at the Berbice Campus to honour the call.”
The statement supported the call by the UG Students Society for an independent and comprehensive enquiry of the incident. “We are in full agreement with our colleagues at the Turkeyen Campus in their expression of abhorrence at the fatal shooting of second year Architec-ture student Yohance Douglas and demand a transparent, comprehensive and urgent review of the event,” it stated.
The release was perceived by the administration as an unauthorized attempt by the Association to disrupt classes at the Tain Campus.
Director of the Campus Dr Parsram Thakur, the brother of Dr Rishee Thakur, told this newspaper that it was improper and illegal to cancel classes.
He referred to a meeting on Tuesday between the UGSS and the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor James Rose at which the students’ representatives were informed that the university could not cancel classes because it was a public institution.
The Faculty of Social Sciences had earlier issued a statement announcing that it had decided to begin a period of mourning which would culminate tomorrow.
According to the Director, he was not officially informed by the Staff Association of its intention not to hold classes at Tain, and he was not prepared to cancel classes.
Dr Parsram Thakur expressed his condolences to the relatives of Yohance Douglas who was shot dead last Saturday and wished his friends who were injured in the shooting by the police a speedy recovery.
He however maintained that he had a responsibility to students at the Campus who turned up for classes. He told this newspaper that members of the Association were attempting to influence the entire staff to stay away from classes.
On the other hand, Dr Rishee Thakur accused his brother of intimidating staff members. Staff members, he said, have the right to decide on what course of action they should take in circumstances such as the shooting of the university’s student.
Yesterday, the Director said that “only a few classes were held since some students and some members of staff stayed away from the Campus”. Only one lecturer from the Turkeyen Campus turned up for classes yesterday.
“Classes”, he explained, “were being held on a consensual basis between students and lecturers.” According to the Director, the campus was relatively quiet yesterday with not many students and staff on site. The Faculty of Social Sciences, he said, took a decision at Turkeyen to cancel classes there but was attempting to influence other staff members to do so at Tain.
The differing positions have created a rift between some staff members and the administration at Tain.