Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 22, 2022 Letters
Dear Editor,
Back in September 2018, during that infamous teachers’ strikes, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) firmly stated that “… the nation’s educators had received more under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration than what they (were then getting) under ‘this’ coalition Administration…” as it was the APNU-AFC (A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change) who were in power. At that juncture, and being very unhappy with APNU/AFC, the GTU General Secretary, Coretta McDonald, voiced that “If we look at what transpired under the PPP Government when they were in power (prior to 2015) and what is transpiring now (2015-2017)…remember we didn’t want the five percent. We made noise about it. But with the five percent, we got a whole lot of non-salary benefits.” She detailed then also that, “For the first time in the history of this country, our teachers were able to get clothing allowance, duty free concessions, and allowances for additional qualifications. While the PPP Government was in power — and you know I don’t want to sound political, but we have to make the comparison because of all the untruths they peddling out there…”
So, what now? This pro-PPP/C song should be louder and longer and with good reasons. So, getting back to that 2018 crisis, I recall former President Bharrat Jagdeo stating that “…if Government (APNU/AFC) (were) to cut back on its wasteful spending, it would manage to cover a reasonable increase for the country’s teachers.” In fact, the current VP and erstwhile President did itemize seven areas of wanton waste to the tune of $5.1 billion”… that could have been easily cut, so that there was money to pay for the teachers’ better wages and the de-bunching for the teachers, housing allowance, all of these things… just here.”
Fast forward, and I see that this kind of thinking and philosophy is still with the PPP/C. For example, just a few days ago, the news headline read that there will be “Duty-free concession for 100 teachers, UG scholarships.” The word from Minister Priya Manickchand was that “Some 100 teachers across the country will be benefitting from duty-free concessions in the near future … (and as we know), this concession, issued by Government, will allow them to acquire their own vehicles without any duty commitments to be paid, thereby lowering the overall cost significantly.” It gets better as the news reflected that, “All CPCE trainees will get salaries from January 2023” This is a ‘first,’ as “Currently, only persons living in the dorms are given a stipend of about $11,000. Now, this will be modified so that every CPCE student will receive a salary, since and right fully reasoned by the Minister, “They’ll be in schools even as they are learning and so they are going to be paid.”
Editor, as my tone has reflected, I bear grievous angst that the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) and the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) are deeming the eight percent increase (retrospectively to January 1, 2022) in public servants’ salaries as ‘disrespectful’, ‘arbitrary’ and ‘minuscule’. In fact, Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Labour, is rightfully incensed. His Stabroek News November 20, 2022 letter, “McDonald herself proclaimed that life for teachers was better under the PPP/C Government,” highlights this. He too noted that “… since returning to office, the PPP/C government (has been) implementing holistic economic policies to lower prices for goods and services which have increased globally. He added that, “… we have reversed the punitive taxes that had been imposed by APNU+AFC on electricity, water, medical services and educational supplies, basic household necessities, and basic construction materials.
Enough said.
Yours truly,
H. Singh
JAGDEO ADDING MORE DANGER TO GUYANA AND THE REGION
Apr 18, 2024
SportsMax – West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has been named Wisden’s leading Twenty20 Cricketer for 2023, as she topped all and sundry, including her male counterparts. Alan Gardner looks...Kaieteur News – Compliments of the Ministry of Education, our secondary school children are being treated to a stage... 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]