GPSU, Govt. committed to re-engage on public service talks

May 20, 2017 News

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

Both the Guyana Public Service Union and the Government of Guyana have expressed their continued commitment to discussing issues affecting the public service. The assurance was given on two separate occasions by representatives from both sides.
On Wednesday, following the swearing-in of members to the Public Service Appellate Tribunal, GPSU President, Patrick Yarde, said that his union remains ready to engage the government on issues particularly a living wage.
He said that there is an economic crisis in the country and people need economic relief. To address this, the way forward is to formally address consequential increases for public servants.
Yarde was asked whether his union was responsible for the delay in talks continuing between the two parties on the matter. He said that the delay is on the part of the government. The GPSU President said that his union has already communicated its readiness to talk on the prevailing issues.
He said that the GPSU has never turned down a request to meet with the government’s negotiating team.
“We have been making requests to meet. A major aspect of it is that the Minister of Finance (Winston Jordan) wrote me stating that he was mandated to deal with this matter by the President and I responded to him also indicating our willingness to meet. That was since last year.”
Yarde, who is also Chairman of the Public Service Commission (ag), said that the GPSU had agreed with the government’s negotiation team which is led by Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry, Reginald Brotherson, to address the matter expeditiously.
The GPSU President said, “I am very disappointed with the procrastination that is taking place. We will be addressing this through correspondence shortly.”
Meanwhile, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, during the post cabinet press briefing on Thursday, said that Government’s commitment to the public service is to ensure that the terms and conditions of service, including wages, are addressed.
He said that the swearing-in of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal is a sign of Government’s intention to allow public servants to have some of their issues fully ventilated.
“That Tribunal, was something that had lapsed for 20 years. Several public servants who had issues relating to the Public Service Commission, on the promotions, appointments and termination of service, had no recourse other than going to the court.”
Harmon explained that several of those matters have been left at the court waiting to be heard while some have been heard and for others, judges would have left the Bench.
“So setting up of this Tribunal has been one of the important matters that we’ve decided that we have to address. The other matters have to deal with the conditions of service and those matters are also being addressed. So what we are talking about now, is a raft of measures that will increase or improve the quality of service of our public servants.”
The Minister said that his government will not be addressing these issues in a piecemeal manner.

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