By Jomo Paul
[www.inewsguyana.com] – At the peak of dawn on Tuesday, February 03, scores of University of Guyana Students and workers blockaded the main entrance to the UG, Turkeyen Campus and padlocked the back entrance.
The students said this was being done to let the administration know that they “meant business” in their demands for a better facility and better salaries for the workers.
The action, which was orchestrated by the UG Student Society and the UG Workers Union, saw just over three hundred persons lining up at the entrance and its environs preventing vehicles from venturing into campus.
A majority of them, laden with placards, stood with sullen faces bracing the increasing heat of the sun, demanding that the administration put better mechanisms in place.
About an hour into the blockade ranks from the Guyana Police Force arrived but left shortly after a bitter exchange of words with one of the protesters.
A lone officer remained throughout the proceeding, keeping a watchful eye from a short distance away.
Soon after, the Deputy Vice Chancellor arrived to begin her day of work but had to stop short and walk her way into the University compound, accompanied by what appeared to be three armed body guards.
It was then that tensions rose once again as the protesters observed one of the body guards entering the campus with a firearm, unbeknownst to the security guard in a nearby hut. An alarm was raised but the man proceeded about his business without stopping to address the concerns of the students about him being armed with a gun.
“This is an animal farm and obviously some animals got more rights than others. How he can walk in there with a gun” said one man noting the fact that the man is accompanying the Deputy Vice Chancellor makes its all the more alarming.
However, while the commotion and ruckus continues at the entrance to campus, word quickly spread that Vice Chancellor, Dr Jacob Opadeyi had launched a one man protest of his own on the railway embankment.
Opadeyi stood silently with three placards calling for the workers to return to their jobs of teaching his students and for the government to provide duty free concessions to lecturers along with house lots.
According to him, the students concerns were being addressed but it was a process that would see results soon. He explained that already orders had been placed for more furniture and that would be delivered in the near future.
The Vice Chancellor reiterated the claim that the University simply could not afford to pay the salary increases being demanded but said a minimal increase along with some fringe benefits could be provided.
Dr Opadeyi belabored the fact that Guyana’s parliament is currently prorogued hence it would be impossible for them to acquire any subventions from the government.
However this was rejected by UGWU Head, Melissa Ifill, who questioned how persons were going to be able to afford cars and homes on meager salaries of $36,000.
She rejected the minimal increase citing the fact that for UG to be on the same payment par with the lowest competing university, UG would have to be paying workers some 200% more than they are currently paid.
