Jagdeo’s contempt for teachers in PPP stronghold

Feb 13, 2024 Letters

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Dear Editor

Kaieteur News Article Captioned CXC waits for no one …., Dated Feb, 10th 2024 states, “Teachers of Region 5 are appealing to the Minister of Education to meet with them” because the regional CXC body, “waits on no one”

They expressed disappointment that the Minister has not agreed to meet with them and that it seems the Minister does not care for the teachers nor the students. On the other hand, President Alli appealed to teachers to be patient and wait for Guyana to receive more oil money and that their welfare would be taken care of but it would take time. From statements emanating from officials of the union,it would seem that the teachers are saying their demand is not strike until we get what we want re: increases but strike until the government meets with them to begin dialogue. So, considering CXC is around the corner and the students would suffer the idea of trying to suggest that the teachers are uncaring is ridiculous. All the government has to do, is meet with the union’s leadership. I want to believe that it is the government that is uncaring of the welfare of our students.

VP Bharat Jagdeo said that the strike is political, because he claims that some union leaders consulted with the Opposition. So, what is wrong with that. He says he is not worried that teachers from PPP stronghold have joined the strike and that they would not be victimised, that they do not realise that the strike is political. I guess he has a poor assessment of teachers’ intelligence. I recall the bauxite and sugar workers were involved in a strike in1979 when the IMF conditionalities were imposed and our dollar was devalued. One of the conditions was fiscal austerity. This translated into wage freeze. The PPP and its cadres were up to their neck advising and supporting the strike. Was it Political? I, as a teacher and a member of the PPP went out every morning with the GAWU Field Secretary at 4:AM encouraging the workers etc. I held meetings with them.

It was so effective that the PNC transferred me from a secondary school, BEI, to teach Prep A at the Cumberland Primary School. The PPP followed up on Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow in fighting for workers’ right to trade unions. The PPP passed laws to enshrine the right of workers to collective agreement. We all know that the Bharat takeover of the PPP resulted in Jagan’s legacy being cast aside. However, even I did not expect the PPP to move so far away.

The PPP has long since taken away the workers’ right to Collective Agreement. The workers’ unions are ignored and the government has been imposing what it feels like at the end of the year. Sadly, when the Coalition took power the same obtained. The imposition of an increase at the end of the year continued.

I noticed some placard saying that sugar workers are being treated better. This is definitely not the way to go. We do not need this. We need workers unity and solidarity. I recall that the sugar workers were denied increases for a number of years while others got.  I recall GAWU having to call strikes and this was regardless of whether it was PPP or PNC in power. I recall the PPP government threatening to derecognise GAWU. Just recently, sugar workers protesting were tear gassed and arrested. On a previous occasion, I recall one sugar worker was shot and killed.

So, let’s not go that way. Let’s try to strengthen workers’ unity and remember a number of children whose parents are sugar workers have joined the strike. What I find interesting if not contemptible is that the VP indicated that he is not worried and that those teachers from PPP stronghold would still vote PPP.  Both parties apparently hold the same belief. No matter what, their supporters would remain loyal no matter what we do to them. Workers of Guyana you need to respond adequately to this level of contempt for you, as demonstrated by both parties. We must declare our independence. We must sever our support for these parties as they have proved over and over that they are not interested in the welfare of the workers.

In order to properly represent the rights of the working people unity must be the key word. With unity we can hold any government accountable. Workers of Guyana must put their leaders’ feet to the fire and force them to unite the splintered trade union movement. If they fail to do this then it’s time to vote out these fossilized heads and replace them with a new batch who would stand up for the unification of the trade union movement so that workers constitutional rights would be respected.

We have heard that the GTU has not audited its account for a long time now. Well, this makes the teachers victims of their own leaders. They should deal with this at the appropriate time. It’s a shame that the government is now raising this. The Laws of Guyana demands that the Trade Unions have annual audits. My question is why both Government have failed to deal with these breaches in order to protect the membership. They have to answer to this. They have failed the workers in this area also.

I call on the government to immediately contact the union, set a meeting date to commence serious discussions in keeping with the collective agreement. Failing to do so would demonstrate an uncaring attitude to the teachers and worse to the children of Guyana.

Sincerely
Rajendra Nauth Bisessar

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• Kaieteur News Article Captioned CXC, PPP resulted in Jagan’s, the IMF conditionalities, the Minister of Education

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