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I have heard consistent criticism against the Govt.
Dear Editor;
Editor’s note; this is the conclusion of this letter published in our edition yesterday.
Forbes Burnham understood the need for the common worker to have an opportunity to taste of the good life. He conceived the Main Stay Lake Resort for workers. So, while senior operatives might have been able to take their families to resorts in the Caribbean or USA on holiday, Burnham’s contribution to equity was ensuring that the common workers’ life experience would be somewhat similar. That the small man too would have a taste of the good life – holiday at the beautiful resort located on the bank of Lake Mainstay was to be a start in this endeavor.
Here in Guyana, since Burnham, the largest employer (government) has exhibited less emphasis on adopting social programs that would reduce the effects of small salaries on the poor. Both governments and workers see increase in salaries as the way to close the gap. So when the government gave itself 50% raise on already relatively high salaries and offer 10% increase to those already receiving ridiculously low salaries, the arrangement became intolerable for members of the Y generation and Millennium. And today in Guyana members of these two generations make up the bulk of the Guyanese population and assumable the public service. In this context the offer of a mere10% increase represent to the workers nothing but a stab in the back by a trusted friend. Anger and Discontent were inevitable.
Mr. Editor, it is the failure to understand and/or willingness to take on board the values prevalent among its work force today that is the source of the discontent and frustration with government. It explains government’s missteps when dealing with salaries in the public service. But why should this be so?
No one can argue that the government does not have in its rank persons who are intelligent and knowledgeable, so why are we not seeing evidence of this in their behavior? Why an understanding of the values and expectations of the bulk of those making-up the public service seemingly not taken into consideration when government acts? What happens to brilliant people when suddenly they occupy seats of power? When will the disrespect of the common man end? Since we know the PPP, where do poor people turn to with a reasonable expectation of being treated fairly? It really hurts when one contemplates what still pertains in Guyana even with a change of government. There is too much to complain about, too much confusion, too much wrong doings.
When a government gave to its ministers 50% raise on their salaries and offer public servants at the bottom of the salary structure 10% increse on theirs, we know something is wrong. When we hear of the presence of a National Youth Council while never hearing of youths in Guyana voting to elect their representatives for such a council, we know something is wrong. When we hear the Government speak of the need for communities to take the initiative while hearing of no attempt to give communities the competence to carry out community assessment, we know something is wrong.
When we hear leaders speak of the important role the elderly can play in national development and the need for them to ensure their issues are placed on the table, we know something is wrong. When we witness no effort to enhance the elderly understanding of the process of policy formation and how to influence policy, we know something is wrong. When we know of no effort to introduce the elderly to modern techniques in advocacy, we know something is wrong. And when we see on the front page of one of our dailies two of our female police officers being made to climb a ladder in skirts and not a word of protest is heard from the various rights groups, we know something is wrong.
Claudius Prince
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