Dear Editor,
CITY Hall has gone right back to the pre-Carol Sooba era; that is: punishing workers by paying them their wages and salaries weeks and weeks after the stipulated times; withholding their contributions to the National Insurance Scheme, the Guyana Revenue Authority and other agencies, thus compromising the wellbeing of the workers; owing every creditor in town that has given them credit of goods and services; owing all of their contractors, except for one; failing to purchase tools and materials to allow for municipal works to be completed; lacking in the maintenance of municipal buildings; compromising the occupational health and safety standards of its workers with unsafe and dilapidated buildings and work sites; and much, much more.

But in spite of all of the aforesaid, it is evident that during Sooba’s and the other Town Clerks’ tenures, the failure to pay salaries on time resulted in all sections — inclusive of the Markets, Solid Waste, Drainage, Abattoir, even Gravediggers at the cemetery — downing tools. Those who didn’t go on ‘GO SLOW’ then were questioned why.

Why then and not now? Hope all concerned are taking note. Indeed, politics in Guyana is so interesting!

But the real question to be asked is “what has happened to the Guyana Local Government Officers Union and the Guyana Labour Union?” These two organizations were selected to represent the collective interests of workers of the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown in negotiations with their employers over wages, hours, benefits and working conditions. They seem to have been silenced by the Council. Maybe they are making a new movie called ‘The Silence of the Lambs Part 2’.

The poor representation by these two unions against the serious issues affecting municipal workers should lead to a loss of confidence in the leadership of both of them. Why is there no serious attempt being made to obtain justice for the workers of the M&CC whom they represent, despite pleas by many for betterment?

It is certainly time that the unions are refreshed and new faces installed to fight for the rights of the workers of the Georgetown Municipality. It would seem as though the President of the GLU, Carvil Duncan, is too busy with his legal troubles to pay keen interest to matters which affect the Council’s workers who are represented by his union.

Meanwhile, the GLGOU’s new president, Wendy DeCunha, seems more interested in travelling to overseas conferences than in the welfare of the GLGOU’s membership.

It is time for these unions to ensure that municipal workers are paid on time; that they are properly remunerated; that they are not superseded by friends and family members of the ‘Big Ones’ who have been employed en masse; that they encourage equality and fairness, ensure job security, facilitate better training for workers, and guarantee the health and safety of the workers by repairing and refurbishing the ramshackle municipal buildings and work site buildings which accommodate its employees; and provide appropriate furniture, tools and equipment for employees.

Sincerely,
SHANTA SINGH