UWI Guild president refuses to resign
Senior Multimedia Journalist
joshua.seemungal@guardian.co.tt
Although she lost a motion of no confidence, the University of the West Indies St Augustine Campus’ Guild president Kirby Moses, still has not submitted her resignation.
As a result, according to a student guild council notice, the guild’s budget, which is critical for the functioning of halls, clubs, societies and associations, will not be approved in time for the academic year. Annual activities such as Guild Fest could also be in danger of not being held.
According to the notice, the guild will move a recall vote to have Moses forcibly removed from office for misconduct. According to guild members, the vote is tentatively set for early this month before the Campus Finance and General Purpose Committee Meeting. The Guild’s signal of intent to remove Moses from office comes just four months after she was elected in the April 11 student guild elections.
Moses refused to resign despite losing the vote of no confidence from the Guild Council and the student body on August 8. According to the Guild’s constitution, she was supposed to resign by August 11.
A breakdown of the vote is: 258 people voted for the motion of no confidence, 19 people, voted against it, and 34 people, abstained.
The Guild’s fallout with its president began after Moses appointed and then refused to remove her brother, Kemp Moses, as treasurer. The Guild argued that Kemp Moses was illegitimately appointed as treasurer to replace the elected former treasurer Liam Mohammed, who resigned.
As stated in its August 9 notice, the Guild wrote that its motion of no confidence was called because Moses allegedly disregarded the call by 18 councillors for a by-election for the election of a new Guild treasurer; and proceeded with an appointment process, appointing Kemp Moses (her brother) as the new treasurer; disregarded concerns about the flawed interview process for the appointment of the
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new treasurer; disregarded and rejected the call from administration advising to have a by-election; presented baseless allegations about her fellow councillors, resulting in defamation; and misrepresented the Guild Council and wilfully misinterpreted and misused powers stemming from the Guild Constitution.
At the August 8 Special Meeting, the Guild voted in favour of an election of a new treasurer by a by-election.
In an interview earlier this month, Moses questioned the validity of the motion against her. She asked whether it was related to her asking questions about the guild’s accounts. Subsequent attempts to get further comment from her were unsuccessful.
“I continue to work towards those goals with the people who are working with me to get there. I do not deny that what was presented can indeed build no confidence in someone, but I understand that my voice was not in the room, so that’s okay. I take it into consideration, and I hear them, and I hear their request, and I move forward.
“As it relates to the state of the guild, we are in desperate need of auditing in that place: audit of the guild administrative office, audit of the Guild of Students, audit of the administration of the University of the West Indies, especially those who deal with the portfolio of the Guild of Students,” the poet, artist and designer said.
Moses said she planned to make an official report with evidence to UWI St Augustine Principal Prof Rose-Marie Belle Antoine.
In her student guild election manifesto, 22-year-old Moses promised, among other things, to ensure that cameras on campus were working and establish strong connections with nearby police stations; to provide quick turnover time for approvals of club events and activities; provide more diverse food options on campus; improve campus WiFi; provide free access to menstrual products and basic self-care products for women; install solar charging stations across campus; and ensure businesses on campus accept card payments.
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