GTU patiently awaits debunching payment ‘victory’

Nov 15, 2016 News

It took a court ruling for the way to be cleared for the continuance of the process for public school teachers to be granted outstanding promotions. However, they are still anxiously awaiting yet another victory.

GTU President, Mark Lyte

Some have retired, some are close to retirement and others are hoping they do not reach that point before they become eligible for an assured debunching payment.
“We need a definite time when this debunching money will be paid; it has been too long,” said President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Mark Lyte, yesterday.
In stressing that teachers have already waited 10 years, Lyte expressed hope that teachers will not have to wait another year before the relevant authority opts to honour the payment.
“We will be extremely grateful if it could happen before the end of 2016,” said an optimistic Lyte.
Based on a multi-year agreement between the GTU and Ministry of Education under the previous administration, teachers were eligible for the debunching payment.
The present Government had given assurance that it would honour the commitment of its predecessor. In fact, Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, in response to questions from the media in April, admitted to this development. He disclosed then that discussions with the Union have thus far yielded a commitment on the part of Government to pay teachers the debunching money that the Union had long been advocating for.
The discussions between the two sides saw an agreement being arrived at for teachers to be paid one per cent of their respective salaries. But this was months ago.
At a press conference in May, Lyte noted that in spite of the fact that the GTU is in receipt of formal correspondence that the debunching money will be paid nothing was forthcoming.
“We have received a correspondence from the Minister of Education (Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine) stating that teachers will be paid one per cent (of each month’s salary) commencing 2011 to 2015 as agreed in the multi-year agreement,” said Lyte.
The letter in question, according to Lyte, was also forwarded by the Education Minister to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on April 22, 2016.
“We are anxiously awaiting the disbursement of this payment as agreed upon,” Lyte had told media operatives.
The GTU President had explained that a teacher who earned $100,000 in 2011 will be entitled to $12,000 at the end of the year. However, teachers who received a promotion during the five-year period would be eligible for an augmented amount.
“All of that would have been taken into consideration to apply this one per cent,” he had related.
He asserted that the payable percentage would only be offered to teachers who were active during, or at least part of, the agreed upon period.
“Even if a teacher retired in 2012, that teacher will be eligible for a portion of the debunching money; the same one per cent of their monthly salary,” Lyte had stated.
Meanwhile, Lyte noted that teachers are yet hopeful since their wait for a ruling into the promotions matter turned out to be favourable.
On Thursday, last, Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards handed down the ruling that both the Teaching Service Commission and the Ministry of Education’s Schools Board Secretariat review their preliminary promotions lists.
The pending matter had resulted in promotions for public school teachers being stalled since 2015.
“Teachers are very elated that the court matter has finally ended and we await the Teaching Service Commission and the Schools Board swiftly moving ahead with all the reviews,” said Lyte, as he noted that “the GTU is aware that both the Commission and the Ministry are in possession of the applications, so the review should not take more than two weeks.”
The GTU President anticipates that teachers’ appointments could take effect by January 2017. “We are excited that the court saw the importance of the review, we are now patiently waiting for the announcement of the appointments. We are patiently awaiting this victory too,” Lyte added.

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