Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:43 AM
Oct 19, 2017 Letters
Dear Editor,
Guyana’s reputation is being seriously damaged by the poor and appalling services that almost every sector provides. The nonsensical things that are happening in Guyana seem to be unchanging and everlasting. What I am about to share is without fear or favour and is not based on any political affiliations nor ideologies.
On December 11, 2015, I wrote a letter to your newspapers titled, “This country has to treat teachers with a better pay system”. In that piece, I referred to an article published on April 18, 2015, filed in Kaieteur News captioned “Granger plans to curb the exodus of teachers by increasing salaries, if elected”.
Our President, Mr. Granger, was the presidential candidate for the APNU + AFC party at that time. In the article, it stated Granger was asked, “If your party is elected to serve the people of Guyana, what policies will your administration implement to ensure that teachers, and other key public servants are properly compensated and motivated to perform their services?”
In his response, the Coalition’s Presidential hopeful stated, “I have always been saying that, at this point in Guyana’s development, teachers should be the best paid public servants. The nurses didn’t like it, but we are not going to turn the education system around if we do not attract the best teachers.”Mr. Editor, it is very disheartening and depressing to know that two years have elapsed, yet we haven’t received any increase in salaries nor uniform allowances. We were only paid a 6% ‘interim’ for the previous year. When does our President plan to curb the exodus of teachers by increasing their salaries?
It should be noted that even the President of the Guyana Teachers Union [GTU], Mr. Mark Lyte, vented his frustration, on the slothful movement of the ministry as it relates to the remuneration package for public school teachers. He said so in an article published on May 26, 2017, captioned “GTU/Ministry remuneration negotiation at standstill as PS settles in.” These are his words, “We are frustrated, our members are frustrated too.” Everyone is indeed frustrated. How much longer shall we wait for the newly appointed PS to settle in? One can safely say that this kind of service is appalling.
Many of our public school teachers are disgruntled with the way they are being treated. Too often, we hear teachers complained about working for a meagre salary under unfavourable conditions while completing a plethora of records and at the same time being held accountable for the ‘poor performances’ of learners. Will education ever get better in Guyana?
Imagine working in an environment that is unfavourable to teaching and learning on a sweltering day with frequent power outages. This is the reality of Guyana.
If we are to examine the other sectors they will be no different.
For instance, the water that is being provided by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) for the residents on the East Bank of Berbice (Rotterdam Village to Sisters Village).
In my view, that water is unhealthy for human consumption, since it has a strong unpleasant smell and a high iron content. The worst part is that meters are installed on the pipes and residents are paying for every drop of water that has a stench of ‘rotting fish’. Why pay for such service?
Apart from that, every day you would see a colossal number of people at the hospitals waiting for hours before they can be attended to. The things that are happening in Guyana on a daily basis would make one feel perturbed, irate and sickened. When it is not the hospitals, it is the Guyana Post Office or Guyana Water Incorporated or Guyana Power and Light or the banks or the police stations or traffic ranks and plain clothes detectives making random stops. Although, it is well known to traffic ranks that random stops are no longer in force, it still happens throughout the Corentyne thoroughfare on a daily basis.
How long will this continue? Will this country ever get better with its service? At the end of the day, all you need is hope and strength to survive on this piece of land called ‘Guyana’.
Ashan Bacchus (teacher)
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
Apr 24, 2024
Round 2 GFF Women’s League Division One Kaieteur Sports – The Guyana Police Force FC on Saturday last demolished Pakuri Jaguars FC with a 17 – 0 goal blitz at the Guyana Football...Kaieteur News – Just recently, the PPC determined that it does not have the authority to vitiate a contract which was... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]