Measures to ease Public Servants’ burden lacking in budget

May 01, 2013 News

GPSU

By Zena Henry

Various implementations and allocations to ease the burden of public servants past and present are lacking in this year’s budget, head of the Guyana Public Service Union, Patrick Yarde has highlighted.
In a detailed explanation to this newspaper about provisions for workers his union represents, Yarde said that the government has failed to implement policies that would aid in the development of state workers before charging that the government has ignored, for the larger part, initiatives towards the betterment progress of workers.
According to Yarde, the system should implement, “A non-contributory Health Insurance Scheme funded for public servants and their families.” This, it was indicated, would assist with the burden of health bills and serve as a guaranteed access line to health care, while posing as an incentive to state workers.
He said that the budget should make provisions or allocations for substantial increases to provide realistic advances to public officers who are entitled to loans to purchase motor vehicles in discharging their duties, while substantial allocations for increases in allowances should also be made.
Yarde charged that state workers have not seen an increase in travel allowance since 1995; subsistence allowance has not increased since 1995, while the last increase for uniform allowance was made in 2001. Meal allowances Yarde also mentioned, have not increased since 1996, and housing allowance since 2009. The GPSU president also felt that more should be done for state workers working out of town, stating that, “Other allowances as a condition of service, particularly workers serving in hinterland areas, should be provided.”
Provision of infrastructure for housing projects for low and middle income public servants with specific emphasis on hinterland regional areas should also be made, Yarde asserted.

GPSU president Patrick Yarde

“The union wishes to urge that substantial funds be allocated for the enhancement of the New Amsterdam Psychiatric Hospital – to upgrade the facilities of the institution and have trained staff, so that the reality is for patients to be able to re-enter society.”
Adequate funding of health institutions, including the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, as well as other health institutions throughout Guyana, is needed. Additionally, adequate funds also need to be made available for drugs, medical materials and other hospital supplies to enhance the delivery of primary health care in all administrative regions of Guyana.
Substantial funds must be allocated to Critchlow Labour College (CLC) in order to liquidate all existing liabilities and to adequately meet all expenses for the effective administration, technical and educational functioning of the college.”
In relation to confronting corruption, Yarde urged that, “A vigorous anti-corruption exercise should be executed. Currently, as it relates to contracts, large amounts of revenue are being misused/paid-out for substandard work and/or incomplete works. Most importantly, the GPSU advocates a transparent and broad-based stakeholders’ involvement in the reorganization of management and operations of the GPL.”
“The GPL performs an integral and essential role in Guyana which cannot be over emphasized. The Union as a representative of Management workers is confident that a more efficient, reliable and dependable supply of electricity could be obtained at a cheaper cost. The current situation is most unreliable, costly and burdensome on the people of this country and must be replaced with an efficient and effective alternative.
“The GPSU is prepared to work with the Government of Guyana to execute any exercise that is evenhanded and fair; upgrading the Public Service to guarantee the citizenry of Guyana quality public service, improving performance; enhance efficiency and productivity in an enlightened, exemplary manner to all consumers. Large amounts of revenue could be saved and be available to be utilized otherwise, if such actions are taken,” Yarde concluded.