Dear Editor,

The recent announcement by the public service minister that persons joining the Public Service would not have to wait until after three months to access their first pay cheque, but would have their salaries payable at the end of the first month, is good news to all Guyanese.

I have known persons who had to wait as long as five months and more before they were being paid. One would now wonder why this system of payment was not introduced long before; it is certainly a welcomed action for which the ministry must be commended for and by extension the government. A few weeks ago, I visited a government department in Region Two as early as 8:45hrs to see a public official, only to be told that of the three persons who work in the office none was available, because they are all in the fields. I enquired diligently from the receptionist or secretary as to the time these officers are likely to be back at the office; her reply was that she would not be able to say. I then asked if I could access their cell phone numbers that I can ascertain from them as to the time they are likely to be back in office.

The young lady went upstairs without giving me the officers numbers, which I may never be certain she knew, but when she came she gave me the number for the office and advised that I call the next time I am coming to the office, while I suspect that when the young lady went upstairs she may have spoken to one or all of the officers who may not have reported for duty on that day. I am sure that other members of the public would have shared the same or similar experience when visiting public office particularly on Monday morning. I am refraining for now to name the government office in question, but if the powers that be are interested and I am contacted I will willingly do so.

I am not sure that if you have three officers attached to an office, that all three of them should be in the fields at the said time knowing fully well that Mondays at most offices would be business day and as for Region Two, Fridays also.

There are other government offices where this negative pattern of behaviour takes place also. For persons having to travel from way up and down the Pomeroon River and also from far up the Supenaam Creek to these offices, only to be told that all the officers are in the field and no one seem to be certain when they would be back, is grossly unprofessional and uncaring – in the private sector these things don’t happen.

Regards
Archie W. Cordis