The governing People’s Progressive Party has announced its support of the 5% and 8% increases in wages and salaries for public servants across Guyana. Public servants earning more than $50,000 per month will get the 5% increase while those earning less than $50,000 per month will be given the 5% increase on their monthly salaries.
The Opposition APNU has described the increase as a “freck” and wants to see the government return to the bargaining table with the Guyana Public Service Union rather than impose the small increases.
The General Secretary of the PPP, Clement Rohee has fired back at the APNU’s criticism and told a Monday morning press conference that there are many Guyanese who would be pleased with being given a “small freck” at this time.
Mr. Rohee said “I believe anybody would be grateful for any small freck nowadays”.
The General Secretary noted that his party supports the increases being given by the government to public servants. He said public servants and critics of the small increase should understand that the government could only give out what it could afford and what the budget could afford.
“This doesn’t mean that we are anti-working class or anything of the sort but everything has to do with affordability and what the budget can afford”, the PPP General Secretary said.
He said he is certain that if the government could have afforded a better increase, the workers would have been given it.
According to Rohee, he does not believe that there are just a few people who sit in a back room deciding on the increases, adding that it all comes down to the financial state of the country.
In a Sunday statement, the APNU said it “condemns the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic administration’s arbitrary imposition of another paltry ‘freck’ on public servants’ salaries.” The party is demanding that the PPPC government enters into “sincere and serious negotiations aimed at paying reasonable and meaningful increases, wages and salaries to Public Service employees.”
The Office of the President on Saturday announced that over 20,000 Public Servants and Members of the Disciplined Forces have been granted wages and salaries increases for 2014 ranging from 5% to 8% of their wages and salaries as of December 31, 2013, retroactive to January 1, 2014.
According to the release, Public Servants and Members of the Disciplined Forces earning above $50,000 monthly wages and salaries as of December 31, 2014 will be granted an across the board increase of 5%, while those earning less than $50,000 monthly as at December 31, 2013 would be receiving 8% across the board increase, retroactive to January 1, 2014.
“In addition, teachers earning less than $50,000 monthly as at December 31, 2013 are being granted an additional 3% across the board increase, on top of the 5% increase already paid to them in keeping with the multi-year agreement concluded with their Union, bringing their total increase to 8%, retroactive to January 1, 2014″ the release said.
Filed: 1st December, 2014
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