Teacher’s salaries for June, July and August have been withheld

Jun 11, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
I wish to bring to the attention of the Ministry of Education, the Guyana Teachers Union and Guyana as whole, new developments that teachers in Region 5 are facing. The Regional Executive Officer has issued a directive that teachers who are travelling overseas during the school break will not be paid their salaries for June, July and August until September 2017. So basically three months salaries will be put on hold until September.
School is scheduled to be closed on 7th July, 2017 and teachers must be in school up to 14th July, 2017. Editor if teachers are on the job up to 14th July, 2017, why it is that the June salary must not be paid to them? Did any of the officials stop to think that teachers have families to feed, mortgages to pay, insurance, bills, etc.
If teachers are working full time for the government, do you think it is even possible for them to have other side-jobs, to earn a supplementary income to aid in a situation like this? Are teachers being sidelined or punished because they want to go on vacation after the closure of school in one of the most stressful profession? Why is this happening only in Region 5? Is Region 5 not part of Guyana? Is this legal especially since teachers are working up to 14th July, 2017?
Is it that some teachers have abused the system – i.e. go away and collect money – and as such the others must be punished? Is this the modern way of handling issues like these? The REO is saying in excess of 80 million is in overpayment because of teachers travelling overseas and not returning. Does the REO know what 80 million dollars is? Are there so many teachers going away from Region 5? Are teachers to be blamed for the RDC not able to account for 80 million dollars?
Editor, there are many unanswered questions. I hope that the relevant authorities can shed light on this situation and expeditiously come to a compromise on this issue. I know a meeting was held on Friday, but I know for sure this matter is not finished. The REO will have his way as usual.
Region 5 Teacher

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