Team deployed to resolve withholding of West Berbice teachers’ salaries

DPI/GINA, Friday, June 09, 2017

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon has confirmed that a team of officials has been deployed to West Coast, Berbice, to resolve the issue of teachers’ salary being withheld by the Region Six Regional Administration.

On June 08, teachers from throughout West Berbice and members of the National Executive of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), protested the decision by the Region Five Regional Executive Officer, Ovid Morrison to withhold the salary of teachers, who want to travel overseas during the school breaks.

“I was in contact with the Minister of Education (Rupert Roopnaraine) and the Minister within the Ministry (Nicolette Henry) and Minister of Communities (Ronald Bulkan) and a team is going to be travelling up this morning to bring a resolution to the matter.” Minister Harmon said during his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing, today.

While giving an explanation for the REO’s action, Minister Harmon disclosed that the REO, when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), was questioned about the overpayment expenditure of about $80M paid to teachers.

Minister Harmon pointed out that, “The REO then examined the matter and recognised that there was a regulation that allows for teachers, who had applied to travel overseas on leave, that either they lodge one-month salary or that one (month)salary that was due to them be withheld until they return. that was the basis of it.” The REO was acting in accordance with the regulation, Minister Harmon said.

The Minister of State assured that the matter will be resolved by the end of Friday.

 

By: Synieka Thorne