The pay tribunal award
WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY ABOUT
The public service tribunal has awarded public servants a 31.06% increase on their salary for this year and a 26.67% on their salary for next year. The teachers' tribunal awarded teachers 10% and 12% increases on their salaries depending on the categories for this year. We asked the man/woman-in-the-street to share their views on the awards. Their views follow: Edwin Myles - businessman: `I think that for some reason or the other teachers have been dealt with unfairly. I think that it was poor presentation by the Guyana Teachers' Union and the fact that the teachers did not support the union executive who represented them, 100 per cent. So the teachers got what they deserved. The public servants on the other hand got what they deserved. They held out. They made the sacrifice to achieve what they did. My advice to any organisation is to stand together as one to succeed.' Michael Ramdin - aircraft engineer: `In all fairness, I think that the award is good. But how did Dr Armstrong arrive at the 31.06% for this year and the 26.67% figures for next year. I still feel that the teachers' award is too low. After 20 years in the teaching profession my wife's salary is still around $30,000 a month. This is ridiculous. I do not think that the teachers were fully together on the issue. My feeling is that if teachers and nurses come together they can get whatever they want. It was actually the strength of the nurses that took along the public service strike. With the increase given to public servants, citizens will now have the right to tell them to do the job they are being paid for or resign and let someone more capable take over.' Elizabeth Adrian - Moraikobai housewife: `I am satisfied with the award given to public servants by the tribunal. It will help the country to move forward with public servants being better paid. At least they will be encouraged to do their work now. I am also pleased that President (Bharrat) Jagdeo has said that he will honour the award. However, I am not happy with what the teachers got. I am not a teacher but I know teachers and headteachers who are right now not satisfied. They feel cheated. I think next year the teachers' union will have to bargain better for teachers. Otherwise we will keep losing them to other countries.' Basdeo Shiv - pensioner: `I think that the 10% and 12% given teachers is enough. They only work for five days a week and only for five hours a day. In addition, some of them are not even dedicated to teaching when they are in the classroom. Well, the public servants have gotten a good deal but now they must work for what they earn. If they do not work then they must be sent home. We have got to wipe out inefficiency in the system to move forward.' Frederick Gilbert - private sector employee: `The public servants fought long and hard and were committed to the struggle from day one so they were justly rewarded. I fully endorsed the majority decision of the Armstrong tribunal. I am happy with President Jagdeo's announcement that government will honour the award. That I think is a positive step. I don't think that the teachers were committed to the task ahead. In conversation with many teachers I got the impression that they did not want to support the teachers' strike because they felt that the union was not going to achieve anything so they got what they lobbied for on half strength. They should have been fully behind the union. If they want an example they should look at the unity of the public servants.' Mahendra Mangar - computer student: `I am satisfied with the increase given to the public servants but it is not fair that the teachers have gotten so little. I think that we will encounter some problems with more teachers leaving and seeking employment in other areas in the government service or even overseas as they are doing now. I recall my days at secondary school. I had to do so much extra lessons for almost six years in addition to going to school. I had to do the extra lessons because teachers were not in the school. Teachers emphasise extra lessons because that is where they really earn their living. Even at the lower levels of the primary schools extra lessons are offered for a fee.' Debra Smith - Georgetown municipal employee: `I am satisfied with the award given to the public servants because that award will be reflected in our salaries as well. Whatever government pays public servants that is what we will get. I am not happy with what teachers get. It is one of the more important professions. I think if I was still in the teaching profession I would have tried to make it to Botswana as well. They should have linked themselves with the public service strike. With the award given, more teachers will leave. But they only have themselves to blame for what happened, they should have held out like the public servants.' Malcolm Williams - speed boat captain: `I think the public servants and the country on the whole needed the award given to the public servants. People can now concentrate on work and stop thinking of how they can earn an extra dollar. This now means that the private sector will now be pressured to pay better salaries as well if they want to keep their qualified staff. Some of them may even go back to the public service for employment. I am sorry that the teachers did not get a better deal but they would have to do better next year.' Cyril Kalie - private sector employee: `I think that not handled properly the pay out could be detrimental to the economy. Anyway I have confidence in President Jagdeo and I know he will find a way as finance minister vested with the powers of the presidency to do so without wrecking the country's economy further. I think with this pay out, things will go better in this country and we could begin to move forward.' Kassim Khan - pensioner: `I think the public servants deserve the award and even more. People cannot live on what government was offering. However, I don't think that the award the teachers have got is grossly unfair. One may say that the teachers work for only nine or ten months a year. That may be so but teachers are very important persons in any nation and if they are not paid properly the entire nation could lose. They mould the children's minds and we all were children at one time.'
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