Announcement by the University of the West Indies (UWI) that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government will award 20,000 tertiary scholarships and that university has been approached to provide the training comes as a surprise. Heads are scratching to know why the government bypassed its own University of Guyana (UG) that has two campuses. UG is state-owned and it is worrisome that the government did not see it fitting to ask this University to provide the needed training.
The fact that the government did not approach its own university suggests little or no confidence in it, or something sinister. Guyanese remember only too well the role UWI Vice- Chancellor, Professor Hillary Beckles played in the aftermath of the balloting of the March 2020 Election. Guyanese also remember President Irfaan Ali was accepted to UWI and read for his PhD when the authenticity of his undergraduate qualifications was questioned. Some are of the opinion the government is repaying the debts owed to both the UWI and its Vice-Chancellor.
Conversely, though the President did not have the benefit of a UG education and probably feels no kinship, it is fair to ask if Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd, who lectured at the University before his ministerial appointment allowed the bypassing. Mr. Todd was not only privileged to be a lecturer, but he was also a student. It is reasonable to believe therefore he should have been fiercely advocating the University be the preferred choice to educate 20,000 Guyanese.
And if the Minister held no influence with his colleagues, and cared not to intervene on behalf of his alumni or previous place of work, the government would find it difficult to explain its action is not that of deliberately undermining the University. Some have also drawn attention to the fact that a significant percentage of workers are Afro-Guyanese and this may be a factor for ignoring the university.
The University of Guyana is the highest state institution of learning. If the government is of the opinion the university does not have the capacity to deliver, it would have been better to empower the institution to do so rather than the government turning his back. Universities are known to have visiting lecturers and professors to facilitate educational transfer, research, and development. UG benefitted from this in the past. In 2020 it would not have found it challenging to repeat the experiences if need be. It is an unpatriotic act by the government to sideline UG. There is no excuse or justification to abandon a national institution in preference for an external.
The University of Guyana, in his reaction to what the government did, indicated not only surprise at being excluded but made known that the first time they heard about 20,000 scholarships and UWI being approached was from UWI’s news release, not the government. This is another betrayal.
The University of Guyana was the brainchild of Dr. Chedddie Jagan. Classes were first held at Queen’s College, Georgetown. It was first expanded by the Forbes Burnham government and the first campus built at Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown. President Ali is wrong in his decision to choose UWI over our own university.
UG symbolises our indigenous intellectual prowess and a belief in Guyanese’s ability to establish an institution of this nature to serve us and aid our development. It remains an edifice of oneness in vision, initiated by Jagan and built on by Burnham. It must be preserved, and resources made available not only for its sustenance but its development to meet the challenges of the society and its people.
The Government of Guyana must give the University of Guyana the first opportunity to benefit from the money that will be directed towards the 20,000 scholarships. It is the patriotic and decent thing to do.
