Several members of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) held a peaceful picket in front of the Office of the President on Monday, demanding a proper explanation as to the reasons government is imposing a five per cent increase on public servants. Nurses, clerks and typists were among the several categories of public sector workers who joined GPSU executives in the peaceful picketing exercise, calling for a reasonable increase.
The picketers chanted and displayed placards with various slogans including “Five per cent can’t work”, “We want 25 cent”, “Five per cent equals starvation” and “We need more”.
GPSU President Patrick Yarde said the next move is dependent on the response the union receives from government.
He said the GPSU plans to intensify the protest if they do not get a positive response.
Tremendous efforts
Yarde said he has made tremendous efforts to reach out to the government, allowing them the opportunity to meet and discuss the concerns and issues before decisions are made.
However, to date, the government, he said has not responded to the GPSU’s invitation and went to the extent of breaking the collective bargaining agreement.
Further, Yarde noted that in the first explanation given to the public about the five per cent increased imposed on public servants, was that it was caused by the 2013 budget cuts.
However, based on further investigation, it was realised that this was not the true reason.
The government is now saying that they cannot afford more than five per cent because the money set aside for that was utilised for promotions and paying additional staff. The GPSU president believes that such an explanation is an insult to the intelligence of many persons, who know differently. He said the budget cuts dealt with the expenditure and not revenue.
All the revenues that the government placed in the annual budget were approved. “It is insulting to one’s intelligence when they are told that and when the president signed the Appropriation Act; that was a done deal, the money was there. Now you hear another explanation. We want to see the evidence. Fifteen per cent is not adequate but we are willing to accept that,” he added.
The trade union leader also chastised the government for dragging its feet on the issue and now looking to address it, while imposing a five per cent increase.
Let the public judge
“I am asking the public to judge, let them be the judge, let them tell us we are unreasonable and if not, let them join with us. You think I’m proud to bring nurses here when people need medical attention… I’m not, but they are human beings too and they have a right to certain things. We are going to keep the pressure a bit… we are not anxious to intensify to a full-scale strike, but we are prepared to do it if necessary.”
Meanwhile, Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Khemraj Ramjattan said in the 2013 budget, allocation was made to have public servants receive an increase between 10 to 15 per cent and not a mere five per cent.
Ramjattan, who also joined with the GPSU in the picketing exercise, said now that the blame has been shifted from budget cuts causing the need for the imposition of a five per cent increase, an explanation is needed to state why some Gy$ 4.4 billion is being utilised for promotions and paying salaries for additional staff.
The AFC leader said once money is budgeted and approved for increases, to a certain extent, the money must go there.
Exclusive authority
The executive branch, he said does not have exclusive authority over the revenues.
Revenues are controlled by the National Assembly which is comprised of all elected officials. “They are not listening, they do not want to regard the legislative branch as that has exclusive authority over the purse and the national treasury,” he added.
