Sweepers-cleaners fiasco to be discussed at Cabinet

Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Monday said Cabinet is currently discussing matters regarding the state of affairs of sweepers-cleaners, who have over the last few days, been picketing several Government Ministries.
The picketing exercises began last week Tuesday, after the close to 100 workers collected their salaries and found that they had been slashed.

According to Jordan, the issues of the sweepers-cleaners existed before the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) took office in 2015. However, he said Cabinet members are seeking to address them.
“The sweeper cleaner issue predates us and we had substantially increased the rates in the 2015 Budget for the cleaners. More issues are being brought up, but I don’t want to discuss it. The issues are still at the Cabinet level essentially,” Jordan told journalists at his office.
He said the issues are in fact “easy” issues and have to be addressed. Jordan said some kind of solutions will have to be brought forward, but refrained from pre-judging what that will be.
He maintained, however that following Government’s ascension to office the salaries of the sweepers-cleaners had been increased.
The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) had been calling for the implementation of some decisions made during a 2013 Cabinet meeting under the previous People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration. GPSU’s first Vice President Mortimer Livan said neither of the two Governments have implemented the decisions which included that the wages of the sweepers-cleaners be set in accordance with the minimum wages order and timely payment. He said the matter was brought up again with President David Granger but even with his directives, nothing has been done.
“These workers go to work every day and perform exceptionally despite the economic challenges that they face… Our call today is to pay them what is deserving, that is, value for their unconditional service. This is an unfortunate development of unmentionable proportions being meted out to sweepers-cleaners in this country,” he said, noting that the union condemns “this uncaring and unkind posture of the authorities and demands that the conditions under which this category of workers toil be remedied forthwith,” Livan had told a news conference recently.
The workers headed to the streets in protest last week and promised to continue this week until someone listens to their plea. They are seeking improved wages for their work and to be placed with the “permanent staff” bracket. That, they said, would see them receiving the much needed benefits when they retire.