Latest update March 28th, 2025 1:00 AM
Latest News
- “It will be a very bad day for Venezuelan if they attack Guyana or ExxonMobil”—Rubio declares
- Guyana gets info on U.S. tax evasion allegations against Mohameds, Mae Thomas
- US$35 injected into banking system to address foreign currency shortage—VP Jagdeo
- Citizens to stage protest today against lack of access to information in Guyana
- Guyana vows to stand with U.S.
Teachers free to strike, wouldn’t be victimised – Bharat Jagdeo
Kaieteur News – Expressing the notion that he is the least bit worried about teachers from communities deemed to be strongholds of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) being engaged in the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) led strike, Vice President (VP Bharrat Jagdeo said that teachers should not fear victimisation from his government.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
Speaking at his news conference on Thursday Jagdeo in responding to a question as to whether he was concerned that there has been large turnout of teachers in PPP’s strongholds, Jagdeo said that some persons have been misled by the union. “Many don’t see it (the strike) as political and that’s their right too and I know that many of them will go there but they will vote PPP at the end of the day so I’m not too worried about that. We are not victimizing anyone because you go on the strike but I want them to understand that this is a political strike.”
He continued, “I am not worried about it. I know workers are being encouraged. I know of two cases, where the leadership of the unions, have been consulting with the PNC to try to get workers from other areas to go out, but if that happened ,we will have to deal with it if people want to move politically.”
GTU President, Mark Lyte
The VP made this statement as the GTU widened its protest action and President of the Union, Mark Lyte accused the government of being in denial of the impact of the strike thus far. Lyte noted that when it is all said and done, “it’s the teacher in every community, every home that are affected. When the teachers begin to speak about hardship, we are now talking about policies… we are talking about salaries and there is a clear indication that the administration is not willing to negotiate the salary increases for teachers.”
According to Lyte, the Government is doing everything in its power to avoid going the collective bargaining table. He noted that “each year starting from 2021, we have had imposed salary increases and no workers’ union in this country was able to negotiate salary increase on behalf of the working class people”
The GTU head stressed ministers and other government leaders whose salaries are super compared to teachers should not decide what it takes for teachers to live. “Why should we not be part of the conversation to indicate what to it takes to live like us?”
As it relates to the impact of the strike, Lyte said it is not business as usual because many schools are operating with minimal staff. “There are some teachers who are afraid. Those who feel that the strike is unjustified and those who are threatened that if they participate they will lose their jobs, the CPCE teachers who are told if you strike, we are going to throw you out of college they are forced to be at work… But it’s not business as usual if you drive along the roadways anyone of the communities and see if it is business as usual with children getting to school whether you see children on the roadways. How can this administration give the impression that it is business as usual?”
Lyte said that the Government has chosen to ignore this fact rather than addressing the salary concerns of teachers. “This strike reverberates around all political, divides from every racial group and ethnic background. In Region Nine, the groups have come out. They can’t come to one place but they are coming out. Teachers and parents have been coming out in support…The protest is growing the numbers are growing, I have been seeing the numbers more teachers are getting the courage to come out,” the GTU head added.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The PPP has started the intimidation
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- In politics, as in life, what goes around comes around. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic... more
The Caribbean: Destined to Grin and Bear the Consequences of Its Self-Created Vulnerabilities?
By Sir Ronald Sanders For decades, many Caribbean nations have grappled with dependence on a small number of powerful countries... more
Weekend Cartoon
