Dear Editor,
The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) was historically a working class movement dating back to the Civil Service Association, displaying a national brand of militancy that benefited the nation and the labour movement throughout the Caribbean.
This worker-entity has produced distinguished trade unionists like George Daniels and Leslie Melville who have passed on the baton of militancy and transparency. It is in this context that I wish to ask the current leadership, especially its veteran President, Patrick Yarde a few questions knowing fully well that he will answer me candidly.
The questions are:
a) Does the GPSU owe about $30 million dollars in rates and taxes to the Georgetown Municipality for its headquarters building located at New Garden and Regent Streets, and the GPSU Sports Complex on Thomas Road, Thomas Lands.
b) Is the automatic check-off system that government has abolished having such a severe impact on the GPSU’s finances that it may have led to an accumulation of debt to the municipality?
c) Are the GPSU’s education and financial administrative systems effectively and efficiently implemented to ensure that members voluntarily go to the union to pay their dues to cover the financial obligations of the union?
d) Is the GPSU financing the overseas legal studies of any executive on a monthly basis and is the general membership aware and has approved of it?
e) Has the relationship between the GPSU and Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTU) improved to the extent that they are contributing meaningfully to the GTUC?
f) Has the GPSU substituted a retrenchment programme with a job freeze or natural attrition whereby people who have resigned, retired or died would not be replaced?
g) Have your salary and possibly allowances been reduced from more than $500,000 as part of an austerity economic recovery programme for the GPSU?
For emphasis, let me state categorically that these questions are not designed to attack Mr Patrick Yarde or the GPSU but are rather aimed at assisting me in having a greater understanding of the labour movement.
Yours faithfully,
Lloyd A King
Editor’s note
We sent a copy of this letter to Mr Patrick Yarde for his comments and received the following response from Ms Vera Naughton, the General Secretary (ag):
“We are not aware that the writer of the letter under consideration is a member of our Union.
Further, I wish to state that members of the Guyana Public Service Union who are concerned with any matter pertaining to its management are free to raise these at the appropriate forums of the Union which are provided for such purposes.”
