Latest update April 4th, 2025 4:16 PM
APNU dubs 2014 Year of Workers
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has dubbed 2014 as the Year of Workers since it believes workers’ efforts would facilitate the economic turnaround that Guyana needs.
David Granger
This is according to David Granger, Leader of the Opposition, yesterday at the APNU’s first press conference for 2014, whilst commenting on Guyana being the second poorest country in CARICOM.
Emphasizing the correlation between the labour force and economic growth, Granger pointed to the low production of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and its low labour turnout for the year 2013.
At present, GuySuCo’s labour turnout is less than 50 per cent. That has contributed to the company’s churning out one of the lowest levels of productions in recent history, Granger said.
He added that in 2013 the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) protested largely for better wages and salaries. While nurses are not allowed to strike many of them “sicked out” leaving health facilities vulnerable.
“We in the APNU have decided not to put ourselves in the place of the Union…We know that the GPSU has what is called a basket of goods …We are looking at a significant increase in wages for workers,” Granger said.
He added that APNU is aware that Government has implemented a new minimum wage but wants to see a reduction in the Value Added Tax, lowering of the Berbice Bridge Company tariff, reduction in cost of living and increase in workers’ salaries.
“We see the increase in workers’ salaries as investment…if workers are paid more they will produce more…. there would be reduction in corruption so we have not set ourselves a figure… But I feel the demand of the GPSU is something the Government should consider,” he added.
According to APNU’s Member of Parliament Basil Williams, Guyana is said to be the second poorest country in CARICOM despite “they say each person earns US$3,000 plus”. Alleviation of extreme poverty is one of the Millennium Development Goals which countries are expected to satisfy by 2015.
However, Guyana’s status shows that Government has failed dismally to alleviate extreme poverty. “It’s a failure you won’t hear them talking about,” Williams said.
“So we are concerned because Gross National Income (GNI) measures income whilst the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) measures production, but the GNI is a reflection of the low levels of productivity and low levels of income going to workers and that is why we have named the year 2014 for workers,” Granger said.
Granger stressed that the Opposition wants to sit at the negotiating table with the Trade Unions, employers’ Organization including the private sector, and Government to discuss Guyana’s development.
In 2016, Guyana will be celebrating 50 years as an independent country and APNU is very concerned.
“We do not want to go to the floor of the National Assembly to have a collision with the Government…We want the Government to sit down with us and work out how this country would be governed…We want President (Donald) Ramotar to assent to the Bills the National Assembly has passed…We want President Ramotar to implement the resolutions of the National Assembly, and we want good governance… that is what we are fighting for,” he emphasized.
According to Granger, APNU is very concerned about Guyana’s economic state and income adding that the country’s affairs would not improve unless political parties and civil society bodies work together.
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