Update: Public Service Credit Union Special General Members meeting dissolved

Last Updated on Monday, 24 October 2022, 11:31 by Denis Chabrol

Ballot boxes on standby for voting at the Public Service Coop Credit Union

A Special General Members meeting of the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union was Monday dissolved due to a lack of a quorum.

Chairman of that financial institution Karen Van Sluytman-Corbin promptly called the meeting to order at 8 AM at the New Central High School, Princes Street.

One hour later, she returned to the microphone and announced that there was no quorum and, in keeping, with the rules the meeting has been dissolved. “Members, this meeting is now dissolved,” she said. She explained that the meeting was convened on the demand of the credit union members at 8 AM and dissolved at 9:10 AM in accordance with the Cooperative Societies Act Chapter 88:01.

That was after the credit union’s Secretary Gillian Pollard said that the meeting was being held in keeping with Section 17 (Regulation 17(i) of the Cooperative Societies Act Chapter 88:01 where a registered society of more than 40 members, a quarter of the members of such a society shall form a quorum for an annual or special members meeting. The Secretary said according to the 2020 Annual Report, the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union has 23,033 members of which a quarter is 5,758 members.

The Secretary said the Online registration at that time was 96 and in-person registration amounted to 253 and total registration is 149. “Madame Chair, at this point we do not have a quorum,” Ms Pollard said,

Earlier Monday, when she sought word on whether there was a quorum for the estimated 17,000 active members, there was none. She indicated that when there is a quorum the meeting would resume. At 8:34 am there were a mere 28 persons including credit union members, audio-visual personnel and security guards inside the school’s auditorium.

It is unclear whether the boycott call by the Trevor Benn faction has had an impact on the turnout. His grouping wants the High Court to first consider a variation order on November 7 before Monday’s meeting.

However, it is evident that the incumbent management committee on Monday came prepared to go ahead with the elections as there are six Guyana Election Commission ballot boxes on standby for polling.

Mr Benn’s faction on Sunday night said the meeting should not go ahead because of several procedural flaws such as inadequate newspaper advertising, no agenda, no nomination ahead of the meeting and no agreement on the use of a tried and tested information technology company to conduct online voting.

The Credit Union has an estimated GY$2 billion in its coffers that can be used to pay dividends and provide loans for study, housing, vehicle purchase and other purposes.