Guyana Public Service Union

Press Release

Displeasure with the Functioning of the Public Service Commission & the Non- Appointment of Mrs.  Genevieve Whyte-Nedd: Ministry of Education

Since our last discussion on the case of Mrs. Genevieve Whyte-Nedd and the conduct of the Public Service Commission, our disappointment continues at the failure of the lady to be appointed to the position of Chief Education Office.We have not been inactive on behalf of Mrs. Whyte-Nedd. In this regard, we have again recently raised the issue of her appointment with the Public Service Commission through its Chairman. We are aware that the last meeting of this Commission is scheduled to be held on July 7, 2010, in the expectation that the matter could be resolved before the end of the Commission’s tenure of office. However, as usual we have not received even the courtesy of a response from the Commission.We are now fortified in our position that this matter is only likely to be resolved by resort to the Judiciary. Indeed, it is our view that issues pertaining to matters such as that of Mrs. Whyte-Nedd are the result of the questionable approach adopted in constituting the membership of the Public Service Commission, which results in the exclusion of the nominees of the Guyana Public Service Union, (the only Union that is recognized to represent workers appointed by the Public Service Commission) from membership of the Commission as was traditionally the case. The result has clearly been the establishment of a Commission, clearly susceptible to political influence and control. 

The Absence of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal

 Fair and equitable treatment of their employees by public institutions is among the principles of good and democratic governance.The Public Service Appellate Tribunal has been constitutionally established in pursuance of this principle and is designed to provide a forum of appeal against decisions of the Public Service Commission.However, with the resignation of Mr. George Fung- On as a member of the Tribunal, since 2004, the status, position and functioning of the Tribunal has been rendered nugatory by the failure of the Government to, inter alia, reconstitute and reappoint the Tribunal, notwithstanding numerous letters addressed to the President of Guyana, commencing from February 3, 2004 and ending with that of April 26, 2010, by the President/ CEO of the Guyana Public Service Union.This is an unsatisfactory state of affairs which could well be regarded as a matter of contempt for the Union and its members in particular, and the Guyanese nation, in general. 

The unreasonable and arbitrary replacing of Public Service Circular # 10 of 2009: Increase in Wages and Salaries – dated 11th December 2009 by Circular #12 of 2009: Increase in Wages and Salaries – dated 29th December

The Guyana Public Service by letter dated May 6, 2010 called on the Government of Guyana to honour its commitments in Circular #10 of 2009: Re. Increase in Wages and Salaries 2009, which incorporated in the 2009 public service salary scales, the Tax Free Hardship Allowance of four thousand dollars ($4,000) to public service workers earning below fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) per month in 2008. Please see attached PSM Circular #: 8/2008.This representation was made to Dr. Jennifer Westford, Minister of Public Services, since it is the Union’s belief that the action taken by the government was primarily political and not in the interest of public service employees. It was also pointed out that it was without prejudice to the Union’s position regarding the arbitrary imposition of salary increase in conflict with relevant legally binding Labour Agreement and International Labour Organisation Conventions. When the tax free hardship award was paid in 2008, the GPSU sincerely believed that it was in recognition of the economic difficulties being experienced by this vulnerable group of employees, and it was a sensitive gesture intended to permanently bring some form of relief to the plight of the workers. In addition, the GPSU felt that it was an effort to make right the short payment made to workers between 2002 and 2008, to bring the situation in line with International Monetary Fund Public Information Notice, May 11, 2007 (“a wage policy supported the fiscal effort as public sector wage increases were kept in line with inflation”), this was not the case as reflected in the following table. 

 Details of Public Service Salaries vis-a-vis Inflation.

From this table it could be seen that public servants received over the period approximately 17% less than if they were paid at the inflation rate annually and the hardship award paid of $4,000 was at best 14% of the minimum salary of 28,415. In essence, it was less than what was due to all public servants if the government had paid increases consistent with inflation rate and such payments would have been permanent increases to the pay bands. The basket of necessities prepared by the Union clearly shows what are the minimum requirements for workers as a living wage. Please see the attached document. The government’s action is interpreted by the Union as an attempt to relegate new entrants to the Public Service work force  to the ranks of the employed poor earning below the poverty line. If since 2008 the government had employed 1000 workers in the public service at categories below the $50,000 pay band, it would have cost less than $5 million dollars per month or less than $60 million dollars per year. This clearly would have demonstrated the affordability of maintaining a fair and equitable level of remuneration and lessen the impact of the challenging economic environment for new entrants in the public service. The behavior of those responsible for rescinding Circular #10 of 2009, clearly is in conflict with the government’s posture to being working class in its orientation and inclination, devoted to promoting the interest of this class, is insensitive and uncaring. It is therefore of grave concern to the Union.   

Guyana Public Service Union

Headquarters

May 7, 2010