Customs Officers are a football that can be kicked about

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Customs Officers are a football that can be kicked about

Aug 27, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
There are gross injustices happening right here in Guyana and the victims are afraid to stand up for their rights because of the fear of victimization. We are coming to the close of August, the eighth month in the year, to date Customs officers were only paid overtime for the period January to March.
School is reopening shortly. Sacrifices were made, work was done and no money paid. Can this be right? Can this be fair?
Staffers from the Internal Affairs section are paid overtime to check to ensure Customs officers are at their posts when they are scheduled to work. Overtime is voluntary. Officers work overtime simply because they need the extra money to supplement their salaries. Here is where the story gets interesting.
In June last, the Internal Affairs officers visited John Fernandes Transit shed while an overtime shift was in progress and two officers were not at the location. To justify their overtime, they recommended suspension of the two officers.
On Wednesday 24 August, 2011, the two officers were suspended for being away from the transit shed during the overtime period and the irony is that they are still awaiting their overtime payment like the ill-fortuned folks await leftovers from city restaurants.
It is ok to pay the Internal Affairs section and all the other sections in GRA but Customs Officers have to wait until the GRA big wig “feels sorry for them”. The business sector knows of the consequences if Customs officers should decide to stop working overtime, yet they are conspicuously silent. Everything has a tipping point. We do not have to look far; the situation in Trinidad is a perfect example.
Why suspension for not being at a location during overtime and not a warning? The message is loud and clear. Customs officers are a football that can be kicked about. Something is definitely wrong. Enough is enough.
Royston Tudor

2 thoughts on “Customs Officers are a football that can be kicked about”

kcarrco August 28, 2011 at 7:32 pm

The officers could have been pulled to do another assignment then return to complete the OT assignment. Customs Supervisors have a right to pull Customs Officers to clear any assignment during OT. Just something to think about. CC Imports, Inc. http://www.cctradeimports.com.
amorb August 29, 2011 at 8:08 am

When is the PSU going to play a Trade Union role and not a political one for the Public Srrvants of Guyana. People not getting pensions, overtime, earned promotion, etc. Come on PSU forget the PNC?APNU and be a TRADE UNION FOR THE WORKERS.

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