Jagdeo scolds Ramson over treatment of Burrowes School Administrator

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr. was scolded by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo over his treatment of the Administrator of the Burrowes School of Art, Ivor Thom, following an incident two weeks ago.

The Administrator had resigned from his position after a meeting with the Culture Minister. However, he later withdrew his resignation and returned to his job following the Vice President’s intervention.

“I spoke with the Minister (Ramson Jr.) and I said to him if a member of the public complains about an issue, then these matters should be dealt with at the Permanent Secretary level and i said to him that it was badly handled and he accepted it”, the Vice President told reporters on Thursday.

Mr. Ivor Thom, who is a renowned and respected sculptor and artist, had complained that he was summoned to a meeting with the Minister minutes after he told a driver of an SUV that he could not park in the reserved parking for staff and students at the school while also blocking the walkway. Thom said the driver of the SUV hurled racial slurs at him and a woman emerged from the passenger side of the vehicle, requested his name and when he refused, she snapped photographs of his vehicle and a made a phone call.

It was minutes after that phone call that Thom, who designed and built the 1823 Slavery Rebellion monument, was summoned to the meeting with the Minister at his Main Street office.

He said after being made to wait more than 45 minutes for the Minister’s arrival, once the meeting got underway, the Minister berated him for telling the person who had complained where they should and should not park at the school’s compound.

The Burrowes School Administrator said he was shouted down by the Culture Minister, who did not appear to be bothered by his complaint of the driver of the vehicle using racist slurs against him.

Thom left the meeting and tendered his resignation immediately, forcing students of the school to pen a letter to the media about the incident and losing their well respected Administrator.

***Burrowes School of Art Administrator – Ivor Thom***

It was at that stage that the Vice President became aware of the incident through media reports and said he thought he needed to get involved.

“This gentleman served the country well, and continues to serve the country at a very high standard there at the Burrowes School of Art and when we saw the information that he had resigned and the reason for which he resigned, I thought it warranted my intervention and I called him and said we would like you to withdraw your resignation and that you are held in high esteem by the Government of Guyana and I spoke for the Government of Guyana”, Mr. Jagdeo said.

The Vice President said he believes the issue is now a closed matter.

He said the Government will not tolerate racism in the public sector or anywhere else, while noting that the racist slur used against Mr. Thom was done by a member of the public. The Vice President said persons should contact the Police and the Ethnic Relations Commission more when such matters arise.