Security guards complain about conditions of service

Aug 18, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
White collar criminals continue to operate in several security agencies in Guyana with absolute immunity. This has been happening for decades, seemingly with the support of some corrupt officials in the Ministry of Labour and the National Insurance Scheme.
Enough is enough. The time has come for these criminals to be brought to justice once and for all. The Ministry of Labour and the National Insurance Scheme have been turning a blind eye and deaf ear to the cries of hardworking private security officers who are the victims of these security agencies’ officials, and their corrupt practices of deducting monies from the salaries of officers, yet failing to hand it over to the National Insurance Scheme. As much as $80,000 per year is stolen from some Security Officers, especially ranks working in the interior.
Failure to pay these deductions result in security officers losing benefits such as eye glass allowances, payments for sick leave and even pension, since their contributions will reflect a shortage. Corrupt officials at the National Insurance Scheme are fully aware of these crimes and fail to prosecute the perpetrators. In the event of prosecution, corrupt security agencies are given time to repay the money which often times is a long drawn out process. It is indeed baffling why the National Insurance Scheme continues to cohort and compromise with the white collar criminals, while security officers suffer.
Some foreign based companies that are operating in Guyana are also guilty of these crimes. For example, of these firms 9 named mentioned) have security officers working twelve (12) hours per day at the rate of two hundred and two Guyana dollars (G$202) per hour.
Each day one of these firms robs its ranks two hours pay or G$404. Or $2,416 per six days work week. A work week, by law, consists of 40 hours. In the absence of a union, these white collar criminals impose a 48 hour work week or a 72 hour work week without meal or travel allowances.
Some Security Officers are made to work from Monday to Sunday at 12 hours per shift or 84 hours per week and are paid a flat rate of $202 per hour; are not paid time and a half for Saturdays and double for Sundays and holidays.
Concerned security worker

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