By Mark DaCosta- Two high-ranking officials of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), President Dr Mark Lyte and Second Vice President Julian Cambridge, have filed a legal challenge in the High Court, seeking to overturn their suspension and demanding the removal of Coretta McDonald as the union’s General Secretary. The central issue in their case is McDonald’s dual role as both a parliamentarian and a union leader, which they argue contravenes the union’s constitution.
Dr Lyte and Mr Cambridge, who were suspended by the GTU’s General Council in December 2024, are challenging the legality of the suspension and the constitutionality of McDonald’s leadership within the union. Their legal team contends that McDonald, who is also a parliamentarian for the People’s National Congress Reform-led A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), cannot hold the position of General Secretary while also serving as an elected member of the National Assembly.
The suspended leaders are requesting that the High Court declare McDonald’s position vacant, asserting that no parliamentarian should be eligible for election to any leadership position within the GTU. They further claim that the council meeting that voted on their suspension was improperly constituted, as McDonald should not have been allowed to preside over such a decision due to her parliamentary status. According to the GTU’s constitution, only past presidents are permitted to assume such roles, not current parliamentarians.
The dispute stems from a vote held on December 17, 2024, when the General Council passed a motion to suspend Dr Lyte and Mr Cambridge. The suspended leaders maintain that the motion was brought without proper notice and without giving them the opportunity to respond to the accusations made against them. Their lawyer, Kamal Ramkarran, has pointed out that this lack of due process violated the principles of natural justice, leaving Dr Lyte and Mr Cambridge without a fair chance to defend themselves before the vote was taken.
The suspension followed allegations that Dr Lyte and Mr Cambridge had unilaterally negotiated with the government to end a teachers’ strike, an accusation the suspended leaders deny. They argue that all their actions had been carried out in line with the decisions made by the GTU’s General Council, which had been involved in the negotiations with the government. According to their lawyer, the claim of unilateral action is untrue and unjustly used as a basis for their suspension.
Another aspect of the legal challenge is the absence of any formal investigation into the suspension. Despite the fact that the Ministry of Education, Education International, Caribbean Union of Teachers, and the Ministry of Labour were informed of the suspensions, Dr Lyte and Mr Cambridge say they were not notified, nor were they given any explanation for their removal from office. They were also informed that their offices had been “padlocked shut” by union officials in a move they deem to be both punitive and unjust.
The issue of McDonald’s simultaneous roles as General Secretary and parliamentarian has become a focal point of the ongoing legal battle. The matter gained political attention during the teachers’ strike last year, when Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo publicly stated that McDonald could not hold both positions. His comments echoed concerns raised by others within the APNU+AFC coalition, which has been a vocal supporter of the GTU’s push for improved conditions for teachers, including the reintroduction of automatic deduction of union dues from members’ salaries, a practice suspended by the government over concerns of compliance with accountability rules.
Dr Lyte and Mr Cambridge have expressed the urgency of their case, citing the need for swift action as they are unable to carry out their duties as elected leaders of the GTU. They highlight that the union’s elections, scheduled for April 2025, are fast approaching, and without resolution, they will be unable to oversee the process. According to their lawyer, the suspension effectively prevents them from fulfilling their responsibilities and could disrupt the election proceedings if left unresolved.
The court case involves not only McDonald but also other individuals implicated in the decision to suspend the two union leaders, including Mariska Williams, Meon Crawford, Joseph DeCunha, and Elecia Barker. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the leadership structure of the GTU and may set a precedent for the relationship between political officeholders and union leadership in Guyana.
As the legal proceedings continue, Dr Lyte and Mr Cambridge are hopeful that the court will rule in their favour and restore their positions within the union. The case underscores the ongoing tension between political and union roles in the country, particularly in the context of the GTU’s pivotal role in advocating for teachers’ rights and labour reforms.
