VICE President of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Mr Mortimer Livan, claimed last Friday that the cancellation of the Union’s protest march was due to the late response from the police.He said: “We had applied to the police for permission to march today (Friday), but got the permission at about 10:00hrs… That messed up with mobilization…”

However, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee dubbed the explanation a ruse being peddled by the GPSU. “It is an excuse for failure; there is no reason for the police to delay issuing the permit,” the minister said.

This most recent cancellation follows a poorly supported protect action on December 20, which saw participation of only about 70 persons who marched with the union from its headquarters and through the streets of Georgetown.

Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul told the Guyana Chronicle that, as a Union, the GPSU has a right to protest, once it is done within the confines of the law. He added that as it relates to further negotiations on the five percent increase, which has already been paid, this is a matter for the Public Service Ministry.

Subject minister Dr. Jennifer Westford was unavailable for comment up to press time.
In a prior report, the Union maintained that Government has ignored repeated requests for negotiations. Westford, however, indicated that she has evidence that the two sides have been communicating about the demand for pay increases. She added that the two sides last met earlier this year, and the GPSU subsequently wrote the PSM saying that the talks were not going anywhere and they would have been going to conciliation.

In prior comments on the increase, President Donald Ramotar said thus: “The increase that we are giving is way above the inflation rate. The half-year economic review that was presented to the Parliament [stated] inflation was less than two per cent.”

As a result of sound macro-economic policies employed by the Government, inflation has reportedly been contained to single digits over the last several years.

Public records indicate that Government has been increasing wages and salaries for public servants every year, even during a period when many countries were forced to do the opposite in the face of financial constraints.

When the current administration came into power in 1992, a public servant’s minimum wage was $3137; and by 2005, that figure had risen to $23,204. In 2012, public servants were granted a five percent salary increase; in 2011, they enjoyed an eight per cent increase; in 2010, they obtained five per cent; and in 2009, they received six per cent salary increase.
Written By Vanessa Narine