Dear Editor,
Basically, the way I see it, is that a teacher teaches for five hours: three in the morning and two in the afternoon, Monday to Friday. That amounts to only 25 hours a week. On Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays they don’t have to work.

You have the August, Christmas and Easter Holidays when they are at home but still get paid. Their working hours are mainly between 8am to 4pm. Most teachers live within close proximity of the schools they teach or with minimal travelling.

Now, teachers are doing a very important job and I must say I am quite pleased that they have gotten a raise in their salary and recently, duty-free concession for senior teachers. With all that in favour of the teachers, they still get the opportunity to keep lessons for a fee (extra money for them), either at the school or at their home. Whenever there is a need at the school, they would keep meetings and request funds from parents or they would plan an activity/event to raise funds in order to get what is required. I must say the teachers’ tasks are not that easy but they still face it that is why they should be praised for what they are given.

Editor, having said the above, nurses on the other hand are doing an equally-important job and maybe more stressful, under worse conditions and for a measly salary. Nurses’ working hours vary. In other words, they work shifts; some of their shifts have them walking the road to or from work at mean hours in the night – some after 11pm. They have to work on holidays, Sundays – basically almost every day/night unless their day off falls on one of the holidays or Sundays. Some nurses have to use between three to four transportation to reach their place of work. For the longest while I have not heard anything worthy being given to the nurses, which brings me to my big question. What happen to the duty-free for nurses? Their work is more time consuming. They are being put at risk by walking all hours to/from work. What gives? They deserve better treatment.
Regards
Sahadeo Bates

EDITOR’S NOTE: PERMANENT Secretary within the Ministry of Public Health, Collette Adams on May 7, 2019 announced that nurses across the country could expect an increase in salary before the end of the year. She made the announcement at a forum in Berbice. She said that the decision to pay the increase followed much deliberation and representation being made in the interest of nurses. Adams, who noted that this is “good news” for the nurses, added: “The Ministry of Public Health takes nurses and the nursing profession seriously. We looked at all of the demands, and we try to fix what we can, and I want to bring good news to you nurses, and that is: you will have your increase in salary.”
Adams assured that the ministry has long sought to have this particular issue resolved. She added that while nurses stand to benefit, the increase will be applied to all healthcare workers in the public health system.