WITH the new dispensation in governance, issues of divisions in the society and a professional workforce are being addressed as government’s initiatives to foster social cohesion are up for discussion at the opening ceremony of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) 21st biennial delegates’ conference which commenced yesterday at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. The biennial conference is being held from September 30 to October 2. In attendance were cabinet members, special invitees and stakeholders in the public service.

DEMOCRATIC RENEWAL

The event is being held under the theme “Enhancing the process of the restoration of dignity and professionalism in the public service”.
Minister of State Joseph Harmon in his remarks said the conference is taking place at a time when the country has embarked on a process of democratic renewal and the pursuit of national unity.

“Only a few weeks ago, the Minister of Social Cohesion had a conference at the Convention Centre in which we spoke about national unity and calls for inclusiveness were made. In addition calls for an approach that recognises the importance of all ethnic groups in this country are things which we have taken on board and which we have actually started to work on.”
GPSU President, Patrick Yarde said three years ago, the union had established a task force to consider race relations but it was never addressed. However, this issue will now be addressed with the government to develop an incubator to promote racial harmony in Guyana.
Yarde said the conference is occurring in a season of change and the GPSU is making a fresh start with the APNU+AFC government.
He said it is expected that the union members’ concerns and their contributions to national development will be appropriately acknowledged.

“What we seek is an end to the days of the impoverished Public Service. As such, recommendations were put forward to engage the new government for the advancement in the interest of the members…. Eighteen years ago, in January 1997, the late President Jagan set up a bi-partisan committee to consider the development of wages and salaries in the Public Service. A report was done to address the issue of wages and salaries, and key conditions of service of public servants; it also dealt with the formulation of a productivity strategy and a design of a productivity improvement programme for the Public Service…The commitment given in this document died when Dr. Jagan died, his successors denigrated the Public Service to misery,” Yarde declared.

APPELLATE TRIBUNAL

He said further that the Public Service is the bedrock on which government stands, as he called for the Public Service Appellate Tribunal to be reactivated as it is constitutionally mandated to better serve the public service.

Advancing his argument for workers benefits, he said, “Our sustained appeals to the previous administration for the lack of housing for our members and childcare facilities for their children have been denied for over two decades….Meanwhile foreigners and private investors took advantage of the previous administration give away on land policy.”

And, underscoring the cronyism under the previous administration, the GPSU President highlighted an article in the media that implied that a former minister had a role in personally selecting scholarship awardees. Yarde said this was also disclosed at a Commission of Inquiry where it was noted that the former Public Service Minister selected many individuals who did not meet the criteria for scholarship awards.

He said that several years ago the interviewing process was overseen by a panel of educators who would have interviewed and shortlisted candidates based on the scores they had attained. However, this process was not used and the then minister in charge of the sector could not have said what was the process that was used in the scholarship selection.
“Years ago it worked, we had better persons being selected because they knew what they really wanted to do, was what they applied to do, now we have young people going with the flow, they just applied because it was a nice programme but they are not too sure that that is what they really want to do,” Yarde lamented.

He said the union will not accept in any respect the present government trying such acts with its public servants.
Noting that many public servants after giving the best years of their lives retire broke, Yarde said not even the pension comes remotely close for being a fair compensation for contributions that many make.
This statement was given a roaring applause by the crowd at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre as Yarde added that many retired public servants in their golden years have been reduced to hustings in order to survive. “Those lives are ever so often punctuated by illness.”

Highlighting that it’s a new dawn and era for public servants, Yarde said, “we will work with the government for the achievement of goals that are collectively set and pursue to better the lives of public servants and the quality of the Public Service.”

TRAINING INSTITUTE
Lauding the move by President Granger to implement a Public Service Staff College, Yarde said the purpose of this institution would be to properly equip public servants with the relevant knowledge and expertise needed to efficiently serve in their intended position while rendering quality service.

“The Public Service cannot compete with the various other forces including that of migration, better jobs in the private sector, with the wages and salaries they receive. Patriotism and virtue are values that this union will always advocate, our young, eager and ambitious brothers and sisters will not be encouraged by meagre compensation when they have to coexist with others who have means to live qualitatively better lives…,” he emphasised.

Noting that patriotism doesn’t mean a life of poverty for some while others who give lip service to patriotism do well for themselves materially, Yarde said the GPSU will not accept double standards and the powers that be should acknowledge this.
Underscoring that it is not just a matter of emoluments but restoring dignity that has been taken away from the Public Service, Yarde said “the arrogance of power that sometimes is demonstrated by Ministers of Government and senior officials has created a bunch of intimidated and frightened public servants.”
Against that background, Yarde said the union is promoting respect and it is hoped that the CoI would put forward tactical recommendations that will better serve public servants.

The GPSU president also called on the Minister of Public Security who was present at the conference to pursue opening the gates for the police and the army to be able to join unions.
“We see them as public servants in uniform and we feel that all workers should be able to get representation…I had once publicly said that for the risks and demands that are required for a conscientious and genuine policeman should not be paid less than a US$1,000 per month.”
Yard told the delegates at the conference that the new political administration has stated its commitment to good employer and employee relations. He also called on government to abide by the fundamental principle of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) rights and labour relations to which Guyana is a signatory.

“In the matter of Convention 151, the principle of collective bargaining has often been treated as the proverbial floor cloth. This union wishes to say to government that the quality of relationship will mostly be determined on the basis of clear understanding and upholding the principle of collective bargaining and this position is non-negotiable. We will give respect and we expect respect will be reciprocated,” Yarde asserted. “We do not expect doors to be closed in our members’ faces as occurred in the past.” (Rabindra Rooplall)