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No comprehensive explanation as to why workers can’t get more than five percent

Dec 08, 2013 Letters

Dear Editor,
Rising income dispersion in Guyana is a cause for deep worry.  It will be one of the primary reasons for a political explosion in Guyana.  Yet the weak Ramotar Government cannot dis-engage itself such an anti-working class policy which is a brought forward from the Jagdeo regime.  Anyone reading this misnomer emanating from the PPP Government that “the Treasury does not have funds to pay more than 5 percent”, can only arrive at one conclusion; under which sand dune do these people have their heads buried to voice such political poppy cock.   After NIS and GRA, the workers take home G$52 a day more to their families; that cannot even buy a soft drink.  This is the crux of the matter, some “pigs are more equal than others”, in a true animal farm context.
Since the arrival of the Jagdeo/Ramotar cabal, the incomes for the highest earners have raced ahead of those at the bottom of the economic ladder in anti-human development manner.  This was never Jagan’s plan.  He always preached a philosophy of reducing the divide between the “have’s and have nots” and it is disgusting that men like Dr. Luncheon, who has been by his side all these years, can sit in Cabinet and allow these atrocities to take place against the workers. Shame on him!
Such anti-working class attitudes from the PPP demands a policy response from the majority political opposition.
To date, there has been no reliable and comprehensive explanation from the Ramotar administration as to the reason why they cannot afford more than 5 percent for the workers.  One cannot categorize any of the statements from President Ramotar, Ministers of Finance and Public Service on this matter as anything close to comprehensive or reliable; they are but mere political opinions which have no “locus standi” in the debate surrounding a living wage for the workers.
I say – enough of these acts of “apprentice” management of the public service ,which was confirmed by a Minister of Public Service who was reported in the press as saying “the workers should be happy with 5 percent”.  The AFC Vice Chairman Mr. Nagamootoo was spot on target when he responded; “she should try to live on that five percent”.
This is the time when workers have to be supported in their work to rule actions against this PPP injustice.  The Unions and the political opposition should be fund raising for a “strike action fund” now so that the workers will have a meal during this period of struggle.
Let me be clear, in 2011, I was one of the foremost protagonists fighting for a 20 percent increase for the workers since from my interrogation of the 2010 Budget revealed enough pockets of funds going to the Jagdeoites that could have paid that sum.  The reality is the economy has deteriorated since then as a result of gross mismanagement by the Ramotar administration.  As someone who has personally spent time in the AFC’s 2013 Budget review process, it is my professional opinion that 10 percent is affordable, available and payable with limited impact on inflation.  But we have to take firm action such as placing the medical supplies contract of the Ministry of Health and Georgetown Hospital to public tender and in the process save hundreds of millions of dollars.  Let us use that money to add to the pool to pay the workers a better salary rather than feed the greed of one man and his best friend.
If the Union settles for 5 percent in 2013, history will be very unkind to them.
 Sasenarine Singh

 

 

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