Satiricus didn’t know how to react to the news about the teachers’ 12 per cent salary settlement. Like most Guyanese of a certain age, Satiricus had been a teacher for a while, right out of school. He had a soft spot for teachers from Brother Bob’s maxim, “Only he who feels it knows it”! He was headed to the Back Street Bar, and couldn’t wait to unload to the fellas.
“Budday, wha’ yuh worry ‘bout dem teacha fa?” asked Bungi to Satiricus’s question. “Dem bread done butta!”
“Yeah, Sato,” said Bungi in support. “Yuh t’ink dem care w’en all dem cane cutta get fiah?”
“The teachers are only trying to do what’s right for them,” observed Hari. “What’s wrong with that?”
“That’s right!” said Satiricus. “They need to make a decent living too, you know?”
“Not’ing na wrang wid da,” said Cappo. “But if de guvment can fin’ money fuh gi’e dem 12 per cent raise, how come dem cyaan fin’ money fuh pay cane cutta sev’rance?”
“Sato, 12 per cent na joke, yuh know! At least dem teacha can buy food,” said Bungi heatedly. “But dem cane-cutta an’ dem family a sta’ve.”
“Why are you mixing the two situations, fellas?” said Hari. “Both are bad.”
“Bad? Bad?” Bungi almost shrieked. “Dem teacha get 12 per cent raise fuh wuk fram 9 to 3 anda shade!”
“An’ de bes’ abee get bin 5 per cent fuh piece wuk!” continued Cappo. “Wha’ mek dem na pay teacha fuh piece wuk?”
“Teachers’ piece work?” said Satiricus. “How would that work?”
“Budday, jus’ pay dem extra fuh how much mo’ pickney pass dem exam,” said Cappo.
“That’s interesting,” said Hari. “Like an incentive system. What you think Sato?”
“You guys don’t understand teaching,” replied Satiricus. “There are many intervening variables for kids passing their exams.”
“Budday, abee does call da ‘obstacle” in de cane fiel’,” said Bungi. “An’ dem does pay mo’ fuh clear obstacle.”
“Suh if some pickney dunce,” explained Cappo, “pay de teacha mo if dem pass dem exam. Right now dem teacha guh keep de same dung-ke-dam attitude afta dem collec’ de 12 per cent!”
“That’s something to think about,” said Satiricus quietly.
