In a scathing critique, human rights activist Lurlene Nestor has denounced the recent actions of Guyana’s Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, calling them an egregious breach of privacy and an example of reckless leadership. Nestor’s fiery remarks come after Minister Manickchand published what appears to be internal ministry records on her social media page, revealing the names and birthdates of teachers eligible for duty-free concessions on vehicles, sparking outrage.
Nestor did not hold back in her criticism, describing the minister’s actions as “unethical, lawless, unconscionable, classless, unprofessional, ignorant, undignified, uncaring, indecent, disrespectful, insensitive, anti-privacy, and downright vulgar.” She argued that such behavior should not be normalized and condemned the public display of personal information, which she said reflected a lack of regard for the dignity of teachers.
“This is not normal, and it should never be normalized!” Nestor declared. “For the Minister of Education to publish the names and dates of birth of teachers on social media is beyond comprehension. This is someone who is supposed to be the nation’s guardian of education, yet this display of vulgarity raises serious questions about leadership in this country.”
The document in question, which was captioned “Duty-Free Concession for Teachers 52 and Over,” has raised concerns not only about the privacy of teachers but also about the broader implications of the policy itself. Nestor questioned whether teachers had given their consent for their personal information to be made public in the name of duty-free concessions, and whether such a practice reflected a deeper disregard for the profession.
“The dignity of teachers should not be attacked and exploited to massage the ego of their boss or to gain political mileage,” she said. “Did teachers consent to their personal information being splashed across social media? Did they agree to this blatant violation? It’s beyond unfortunate that such demeaning acts by the minister seem to be becoming normalized.”
Nestor went further to criticize the policy that ties the duty-free concession to teachers’ age, calling it divisive and discriminatory. She argued that younger teachers, who may also have financial needs, are effectively being told to “wait your age.”
“What do you say to a young teacher? Wait until you’re 52? Why should they have to wait until they are only three years away from retirement to benefit from this concession? The policy lacks empathy, it lacks care, and it’s utterly brainless in its construction. It is a shameful reflection of anti-progressive thinking in the education system.”
Her remarks underscored what she sees as a growing trend of ignorance and insensitivity being normalized by people in positions of power. “This type of ignorance is being normalized, even by those who should know better. That’s how societies degrade,” Nestor lamented. Nestor made it clear that she would not further amplify the minister’s post by sharing its content, which she said would only serve to reinforce the disregard for privacy and respect for teachers.
As the controversy continues to swirl, many are left wondering whether Minister Manickchand will respond to Nestor’s powerful words and whether any action will be taken to address what Nestor has called a “shameful” episode. For now, the situation remains a flashpoint in the ongoing debate about privacy, leadership, and respect for the teaching profession in Guyana.
