GTU President McDonald Accuses Mark Lyte of Betrayal Following PPP/C Candidacy
Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News
A fresh storm is brewing within the Guyana Teachers’ Union. Newly elected president Coretta McDonald has broken her silence, accusing former GTU leader Dr. Mark Lyte of profound betrayal after his name appeared on the ruling PPP/C’s list of candidates for the upcoming general elections.
In an exclusive interview with Nightly News on Tuesday, McDonald said teachers now understand why their 75-day industrial strike in 2024 was drawn out and sabotaged from within.
“The puzzle is now being put together — why he was hesitant, why he was laid back. Teachers now feel the betrayal even deeper,” she stated.
McDonald didn’t mince words, calling Lyte’s actions during the strike an intentional move to derail teachers’ demands.
“It was Mark Lyte’s intention to frustrate that strike and ensure we achieved nothing,” McDonald alleged.
She added that union leaders must act with integrity, regardless of their political affiliations.
“When you are a leader, you put aside self. I fought for teachers in 2018 even when my party was in power. That’s what leadership means.”
McDonald declared Lyte’s acceptance of a 10% increase during the standoff as unacceptable and self-serving, warning that his name will go down in GTU history “as one of the worst presidents ever to serve.”
Dr. Lyte, when contacted by Nightly News, declined to comment in full, stating only:
“She has a right to say what she wants. I’ll make a statement at the right time.”
But the backlash from educators has been swift and sharp. Since the release of the PPP/C candidate list on Monday, teachers across Guyana have voiced their outrage in union groups, openly criticizing Lyte’s move.
For now, the GTU appears to be in a process of rebuilding trust, but the scars of the 2024 strike may linger long into this election season.
