Govt endeavouring to meet concerns of teachers -PM
DPI, GUYANA, Friday, October 27, 2017
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo gave assurances to teachers that the government “has been trying” to meet their concerns even as the union representing teachers threatened strike action.
Today, the Prime Minister took time out of his congratulatory remarks to the country’s top performers at the 21st National Awards Ceremony, which was held at the National Cultural Centre, to reassure educators.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.
Prime Minister Nagamootoo noted that the government has raised the minimum wage by 51 percent and is seeking to raise revenue so that teachers could be properly remunerated. “We will give consideration to teachers but they must be patient and allow us to see methods by which we could raise revenues because if you have no revenues, you can distribute nothing”, the Prime Minister said.
The government will also look to oil revenues to adequately compensate teachers. “We have to take things incrementally and hope for the best. We’re looking at a Guyana that has great prospects, that we could become very rich if we manage our resources in oil and gas properly and we distribute it to all of our peoples equitable,” the Prime Minister explained.
The government recently announced a salary increase for 2017 for public servants. The range is eight percent for those earning between GYD$55,555 to GYD$99,999; six percent for those earning GYD$100,000 to GYD$299,999; five percent for those now whose salaries are GYD$300,000 to GYD$499,999; four percent for those earning GYD$500,000 to GYD$699,999; two percent if your salaries are now GYD$700,000 to GYD$799,000 and half percent for those earning GYD$800,000 to GYD$1 million.
On Thursday, the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) walked out of a meeting with the Ministry of Education, which was intended to address a number of issues, chief among them the Proposed Multi-Year agreement (2016 to 2020). Late today, President David Granger signalled his intention to meet with the GTU on Monday, October 30, to discuss all matters of concern to the union.
By: Tiffny Rhodius