GINA’s staff holds vigil- in face of budget rejection
GINA’s Director Neaz Subhan and other staff members at the vigil in vicinity of Parliament Buildings
GINA’s Director Neaz Subhan and other staff members at the vigil in vicinity of Parliament Buildings

THE drastic move by the combined Opposition political parties in the Parliament to slash the budgetary allocations for the state media entities led to a candlelight vigil by the staff of the Government Information Agency (GINA), and supported by colleagues from the National Communications Network (NCN) who fear the worse for their and their families’ future.

Staff of GINA at the candle light vigil
Staff of GINA at the candle light vigil

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), in collaboration with the Alliance for Change (AFC), slashed $5B in budgetary allocation from the Office of the President as a direct attack on the two entities on Tuesday.
GINA’s Director Neaz Subhan explained that the cuts in 2012 were devastating. “We lost jobs, and people were not paid for months. People have families who depend on them, these young staff, many of them as you see them here, some of them have children, some of them have people who depend on them, and some of them have commitments to financial institutions. When you cannot get salaries, even for one month on time, you know how challenging that could be. If you are to miss your payment on a mortgage on that particular date just for one month, imagine that going on for months and months and you don’t know what is going to happen. It is a very challenging situation,” he stated.
Subhan added that based on what happened in 2012 and 2013, “we can only see 2014 being far more challenging,” he noted. He pointed out that the biggest concern is “if they are not going to get paid when pay-day comes.”
The GINA Head said that despite the cuts, the staff came to work and delivered their mandate, though unhappy that they did not get their money on time.
“We are still exploring what our responses will be; but GINA will stand resilient, stay resolute to our mandate. We will do our utmost to deliver our mandate. The Government of Guyana has always ensured that GINA is a priority and that will continue. We know what the intention of the Opposition is and that is to close GINA. But we will remain resolute.”
The staff of GINA is convinced that the parties have misused their one seat majority in the National Assembly to exploit partisanship as demonstrated in their actions.
The action of APNU/AFC to refuse the subvention is a disdainful, deliberate ploy to deprive staff of their jobs. In addition, the actions must be seen as a blatant attempt to deny the populace, and those overseas who access the services of GINA, of their right to be informed as it relates to government programmes and policies.
In 2012 and 2013, the Opposition Parliamentary majority voted against the subventions for GINA and NCN, reducing the amounts to $1 each for the two entities. A subsequent court case resulted in the ruling by the Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang in January 2014 that it is unlawful for the National Assembly to cut the National Budget, they have only the power to approve or disapprove.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.