50 apprentices abandon GuySuCo Training Centre in protest

Guyana Times: Management of the GuySuCo Training Centre in Port Mourant will be holding a meeting with the 50 apprentices and their parents who abandoned the training school since Saturday, fol lowing a dispute [sending home of one of their peers over some miscellaneous bullshit]. Manager of the centre, Lall Persaud, told Guyana Times he has been in con tact with all but one of the guardians for the apprentic es.

Contacted on the issue, GuySuCo’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul Bhim stated he was “ mystified” as to why the apprentices staged a walk out over a simple misunder standing.

It is understood that the apprentices were not sat isfied with the disciplinary action taken against one of their colleagues, and as such, wrote an ultimatum, that stated should the appren tice leave the facility’s train ing centre, then the entire second year class would also leave. The ultimatum also stated what they, as a group, thought appropriate disci plinary action would be for failure to adhere to the cen tre’s code of conduct. After speaking with the centre’s management, the apprentic es decided to leave the facil ity.

Bhim said GuySuCo did not want to “ get rid” of the apprentices because of the large investment the com pany has made in training and eventual job placement for the graduating artisans.

He went on to tell this publication that he is “ concerned that 50 students walked out”. At the same time, he was un sure of any underlying issues that would see 50 appren tices leaving the centre. The CEO stated that the training centre’s code of conduct needs to be followed. The facility is both the home and the school for the apprentices. There is a need for rules and regula tions to maintain cohesion, Bhim said. The scheduled meeting, set for today, will address all issues the ap prentices may have with re gards to the centre.

Meanwhile, despite the ongoing issue, classes are still being conducted.

Persaud told Guyana Times an investigation is under way, along with an internal review to “ get to the root of the problem”.

yesterday
50 GuySuCo apprentices walk out of training school BY PUSHPA BAGOBIN

Around 50 second- year apprentices attached to the Port Mourant based GuySuCo Training School walked out of the institution on Saturday afternoon after a dispute with manage ment regarding the disciplin ing of one of their colleagues.The training facility is equipped with a hostel where students reside while they are continuing their apprentice ship.

Students became agi tated after a misunderstand ing between management and an apprentice on Friday and staged a walkout the next day. At the time of publication, 50 of the 56 second- year students had left the training facility.

Contacted on the issue, Lall Persaud, manager of the training centre, told Guyana Times that the walkout stemmed from a student be ing caught violating the code of conduct last Friday. He said management later held a meeting and decided that in correlation with the insti tution’s rules and regulations they would send the appren tice home to get his parents who would return with him to the centre at which point a meeting would be held to de termine if a suspension or termination would be appropriate.

The apprentices on Saturday became aware of the issue, but they were under the impression that their col league had been suspended.

As a result, the entire second year class decided to band to gether and stage a walkout. In an effort to stave off the walkout, Persaud assured the ap prentices that their colleague was not suspended, but was rather asked to get his parents before the meeting to discuss suspension or termination.

However, this did not stop the apprentices from walking out.

Before they took this action, they gave Persaud a written ultimatum with 50 signatures affixed stating that if the stat ed apprentice was to leave the compound, they would all be leaving.

He said he explained to the students that if they were to leave the compound, they are terminating their sponsorship contract with GuySuCo and would not be allowed to return, at which point the students made the decision to walk out and proceed to do so.

Persaud told Guyana Times that on Monday he received information that some of the apprentices went to GuySuCo headquarters at Ogle to bring attention to their issues. Guyana Times was unable to make contact with any of the second- year apprentices. Persaud is still trying to contact the parents of the students.

The GuySuCo Training Centre is considered to be the best apprentice train ing institution in the coun try.

Its programme lasts four years: the first two years are spent at the residential Apprentice Training Centre at Port Mourant for theoretical and practical instruction in preparation for the Guyana Technical Education Examination. Apprentices then spend another two years on attachment to the various estate locations to perfect their practical skills, before graduating.

Founded in 1957, the cen tre is still regarded a model in stitution, exposing young peo ple to a high level of academia in areas of specialisation, as well as giving them the oppor tunity to develop themselves in a rounded manner. The end result is apprentices who are versatile and proficient.

Tags: guyana, guysuco, Port Mourant