The long-awaited “other foot” dropped in the PPP Government’s full-court press to court erstwhile supporters of the PNC – it announced an 8% RETROACTIVE salary increase for all Government workers across the board!! This means that, in addition to receiving a lump sum payment to the tune of twelve months’ increases – their paycheck will keep that 8% bump going forward!! Now, that lump sum ain’t gonna be peanuts – and in fact will be seen as a very welcome Christmas gift, thank you!!
Let’s say a Public Service worker’s gross salary was $150,000 monthly – which ain’t too gross, you gotta concede!! In December, that person will take home another $144,000 on top of their $100,000 – which should give them almost a quarter of a million dollars to splurge in the festive season!! That’ll put a big smile on their face!! Now, of course, the unions and the PNC will be pointing out that inflation – projected to touch 6% this year – will have eaten out much of the gains. But that’s the point of the RETRO payment, ain’t it?? It’s like a forced savings!! If those workers had gotten that extra $12,000 monthly last year, all of it would’ve been gone by now!!
The other retort from the unions will be that the Government has once again violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement by refusing to sit down with them – as is the law. But in this, the Unions – especially the GPSU – gotta take part of the blame. Ever since the PPP was returned to office through free and fair elections in 1992, the GPSU acted like an arm of the PNC!! Their 1999 strike was a case in point. They came out of the streets – crudely, in some cases – and even had their members in the medical field put patients in danger. They taunted the Police into shooting them with pellets – and finally wrenched a 36% pay hike from a Government that had been left with a bankrupt Treasury by the PNC!! They’ve never failed to march lockstep – even goosestepping!! – with the PNC against the PPP in Government!!
But the PPP kept another card up their sleeve. President Ali announced that the Disciplined Forces and health workers will be getting an additional upwards bump over and beyond the 8%, going forward. Now that’s one way to neutralise obstreperous thoughts – much less actions!! Overall, your Eyewitness believes the Public Service undoubtedly needs a salary structure that’ll attract the brighter minds in Guyana. That means bigger bucks! This was the goal of Lee Kwan Yu in Singapore – but he insisted that before the big bucks, the Public Servants had to be professionalised.
This is an area that the PPP must work on immediately!! Bertram Collins anyone??
…in Ukraine?
Apart from Zelensky – the comic who became President of Ukraine – most of Europe looks like it’s ready for a disengagement before the real winter steps in. A good sign was the bomb that exploded and killed two villagers in Poland. Zelensky was quick to label it a “Russian attack!!”. In the ongoing investigation, however, Poland announced that the missile came from Ukraine!! And even Biden had to concede that was the case. Zelensky, who’s revelling in the attention, has dug his heels in.
The rest of Europe – especially Germany – is facing the grim prospects of a cold winter, where they won’t have enough fuel – gas or diesel – to see them through. They’re unwilling to have to account for their citizens dying in this day and age like Hans Christian Anderson’s “Little Match Girl”. That was written over 170 years ago, and Europe’s self-image wouldn’t let it accept it hasn’t progressed.
The question is how to end the war and yet “save face”. A peacemaker’s needed??
…for Biden??
Politics in America ain’t for the weak (kneed)!! And with the populist demagogic turn – fuelled by social media – it’s about to get beyond toxic!! Imagine Republicans launching investigations into Biden’s son (computer) and daughter (diary) scandalous revelations!!
