Teachers should not expect pay hike anytime soon

Dear Editor,
Teachers are entrusted with sculpting the human resource capital of a nation and should not only be afforded the best tools available in preparing a country’s human capital, they should also be remunerated in direct proportion with their contribution to a country’s economic capital, growth, and wellbeing. May Day 2018 will forever be remembered as the day the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government put its contempt on display for the Guyanese teachers, when in one breath, Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams trumpeted his Government’s move to give teachers duty-free concessions for vehicles and minutes later the President told teachers “my heart is in the right place”. President Granger told teachers that salary increases will be decided by recommendations made to him and submitted to the Finance Minister. According to the President, the Ministry, after crunching the numbers, will supposedly make an announcement. The Education Ministry’s wages bill for this year is already $5.1 billion and with the current economic climate, it is clear to see there is no money left in the ‘kitty’ to give teachers an increase in salary much less the much deserved 40 per cent being asked. We cannot forget this Government gave themselves 50 per cent pay raise weeks into taking office.
The President should have been upfront with the teachers – persons no doubt competent enough to read between the lines – that his Government has not only depleted the National Reserves and increased the debt, but have also decimated productive income sectors. “My heart is in the right place” is perhaps a confession from the President had he only continued with ‘but the Treasury is empty.’
Teachers should not look forward to any announcement to be made by the Finance Ministry any time soon. Mr Granger, ever wanting to look like the knight-in-shining-armor, would have been happy to announce to teachers on Labour Day, an increase –however meager – but the numbers don’t lie, and based on the statistics, Finance Minister Winston Jordan would be hard pressed to, at this point to sustainably provide any, as there is no revenue stream or productive sector poised to provide any enhanced returns.
Perhaps President Granger is waiting for oil and gas before being able to tell teachers anything about a pay increase.
An examination of the figures proves Jordan and President Granger are disingenuous and demonstrate there was no real commitment on the part of the APNU/AFC Administration to pay teachers an increase and have found themselves hiding under the pretext of collective bargaining.
Teachers are demanding a 50 per cent increase in wages and salaries having been left out of annual increases – a result of negotiations between the Guyana Teachers Union and Government; negotiations started under the People’s Progressive Party, inherited and seemingly parked by Granger.
The APNU/AFC having depleted the country’s gold and cash reserves; increased public debt and decimating producing sectors will be hard pressed to find another $2 billion annually to pay the increases demanded. This does not even take into account putting a price to other promised concessions such as duty-free concessions. The Guyanese teachers should not wait with bated breath for a positive announcement from the Granger Administration. The kitty is now empty, there will be no pay increases for teachers anytime soon. The numbers don’t lie.

Sincerely,
Peter R Ramsaroop,
MBA,
PhD
Economic Advisor to
the political
Opposition