GPSU calls for fairness, equity and fulfilment of promises as Guyana enters 2026

Jan 01, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – As Guyana ushers in the New Year 2026, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has issued a wide-ranging statement, extending greetings to its members and all Guyanese while calling for renewed commitment to fairness, equity and respect for public servants.

In its New Year message, the Union described 2026 as more than a change on the calendar, characterising it as a decisive moment for reflection and determination.

The GPSU underscored the indispensable role public servants play in keeping the country functioning, often under difficult conditions and without commensurate reward. “Public servants are the quiet strength of this nation,” the union said, pointing to the daily work carried out in hospitals, schools, finance offices, customs and revenue departments, air traffic control, social services, registries, courts and across the public sector. While acknowledging the professionalism and sacrifice of workers, the GPSU stressed that appreciation must go beyond words and be reflected in fair wages, respect and improved conditions of service.

The union noted that during the last election cycle, commitments were made to improve wages, ease cost-of-living pressures, strengthen public services and ensure workers shared fairly in national progress. However, it said many of those promises remain unfulfilled, leaving a widening gap between expectations and delivery.

Of particular concern to the GPSU is what it described as the misuse of a 2024 collective bargaining outcome to justify the non-payment of a separate election-period commitment involving a cash grant publicly promised for 2025. The Union said this conflation has been used to avoid honouring that commitment, despite it being prominently highlighted during the national campaign.

According to the GPSU, such actions undermine confidence, erode morale, place additional strain on household finances and weaken trust between public servants and the State. At the same time, the Union pointed to recent developments as evidence that decisive action is possible when political will exists. It cited President Irfaan Ali’s announcement of a one-month tax-free bonus for members of the Disciplined Services, noting that the move demonstrated both recognition of essential workers and the Government’s capacity to mobilise resources when it chooses to do so.

The GPSU said the bonus highlights the importance of equity across the public sector. Essential services, it argued, do not operate in isolation. Health workers, customs officers, air traffic controllers, technical officers and administrative and accounting staff are equally vital to national stability, security and development.

The Union maintained that all essential services must be considered within a fair, transparent and coherent framework that recognises contributions, addresses rising living costs and ensures no category of public servants is left behind. Another major concern raised by the GPSU is the continued loss of skilled workers, particularly in the health and education sectors. Nurses, teachers and other trained professionals, the Union said, are leaving not out of disloyalty, but in search of dignity, security and better opportunities for their families.

“A nation that invests in training its people must also invest in keeping them,” the GPSU said, warning that retaining skilled human resources is a national necessity, not an option.

The Union also called for greater recognition of the experience and wisdom of retired public servants, describing them as an untapped national resource. It urged a review of the current retirement age of 55, suggesting consideration be given to raising it to 60 or higher, while preserving the option of early retirement. The GPSU further advocated for structured programmes to engage retirees in mentoring, training and advisory roles to preserve institutional memory.

Additionally, the Union renewed its call for the Government to honour and implement the agreement reached with the former APNU administration to restore the GPSU Sports Complex. It stressed that recreational and sporting facilities are essential to workers’ physical and mental well-being, morale and work-life balance, and should not be treated as luxuries. As it enters 2026, the GPSU said it remains firmly committed to advocacy. The Union called for respect for collective bargaining, full implementation of legally binding agreements between the Government and the GPSU, and compliance with ratified International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. The Union said the year ahead must be one of action, accountability and renewed respect for the public servants who sustain the State every day.

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• Equity, Fairness, GPSU, Patrick Yarde

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