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Teachers beg Govt. to make 7% increase tax – free
Kaieteur News -In light of the spiraling cost of living, teachers in Guyana have made a plea for the seven percent salary increase to be made tax-free.
President of the Guyana Teachers Union, Mark Lyte in an interview with Kaieteur News on Friday explained, “This increase will not cushion the costs of transportation, food, electricity, or otherwise. In theory, they (teachers) will not be taking home anything substantial after their taxes are paid to the Government and their PAYE deducted. Given the way our tax system works, half of it will go back to the Government”.
In light of this, Lyte said that teachers in Guyana are asking for the increase to be made tax free.
Teachers on the streets back in 2018 protesting for better wages
In addition to this, the GTU President called for the Government to add $200 million to the amount set aside for frontline workers, so that teachers who have been in the forefront can be compensated. The Union also wants Government to pay outstanding clothing allowances for 2021 to teachers in December, and resolve the outstanding debunching payment to teachers for December 2021, among other open issues.
The GTU also made an appeal for the Ministry of Education to engage the Union in the collective bargaining process to negotiate salary and non-salary matters.
According to Lyte, “The recently announced salary increase for teachers by Senior Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, is an insult and an attempt to devalue teachers. Teachers did not receive an increase in 2020, and this announcement has essentially awarded teachers 3.5% for 2021. Since COVID-19 came to the shores of Guyana, teachers have found innovative ways to service the nation’s children with no support from the government in the areas of gadgets, internet, and electricity”.
He noted too that teachers labored “like slaves” where they were forced to go into communities and distribute worksheets after collecting same.
“Our Ministry did not even recognize their heroic efforts for the most part. The present Multi-year Agreement that remains enforced speaks to teachers receiving eight percent in 2019, which was non-taxable,” Lyte noted.
The GTU said that the Senior Minister of Finance should have been ashamed to announce that this increase will be paid together with salaries in December 2021.
“The announced salary increase will further increase every item consumers need to get by December 2021 and beyond. The pittance cannot cushion the inflation taking place in Guyana presently. Essentially, we will be worse off than when we started. Teachers will be hard press to feed themselves and family this season because of the high cost of living,” the Union reasoned.
In addition to this, Lyte explained that it is the Union’s position that the Government can do better to improve the lives of educators, by ensuring that they are adequately compensated.
He said that teachers in Region Two had indicated their unwillingness to accept any increase less than 15 percent for the year. Given that the figure is way below double digits, the GTU President said that members are urging the Union to “take action”.
When asked what type of action the Union is prepared to take at this time, Lyte explained that the discussion has to first be held with its membership.
On Thursday, Dr. Singh was “pleased to announce” a seven percent, across-the-board salary increase for public servants, retroactive to January 2021.
“I am pleased to announce now that your Government will be paying an across-the-board increase of seven percent to public servants, teachers, members of the disciplined services, constitutional office holders, as well as government pensioners. This increase will be granted retroactively to 1 January 2021, and work will start immediately to ensure that it is processed and paid to eligible employees together with their December salary and in time for the festive Christmas season,” the Minister explained.
When analysed against the rising cost of living, which Ali acknowledged last week, many public servants saw the announcement as a slap in the face and many took to social media on Thursday to vent their displeasure.
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