-My government can respond, I’m sure
My “working-class” here refers to the thousands of Guyanese actually holding down some type of employment in the country’s public or private sector. It includes too, the self-employed and those tax-paying government workers described by veteran unionist Leslie Melville as “the employed poor.”
And why “Christmas gifts”? Because though Christmas is essentially a Christian (religious) Fes-tival, the now–comercialised annual celebration of the Divine Christ Child permeates most local groups, ethnicities, even religious – in terms of the national embrace of the observance. And since the tradition of Christmas-time gift-giving originated with that gift of a Holy child to mankind, the year-end seems a fitting period to ask for, to expect and to give gifts.
Okay, what workers should justifiably expect and receive should not be anybody’s charity or largesse. Throughout the year, workers should receive a fair day’s pay for, yes, a fair day’s work. But in this depressed, fragile and challenged economy, the poor, deprived working-class are made to depend on the state-of-mind and bottom-line (takings or resources), of the private or state employers. Unfortunate!
My poor-man’s wish list
Starting with the state, any self-respecting Guyana government would want to please its employees, in order for them to end the year in good spirits with great New Year attitudes.
Using, prioritizing, even re-routing financial re-sources, government should: (1) increase public servants salaries and wages by 10 to 15%; (2) increase old-age, over-65 pensions to $10,000.00 or $12,000.00 monthly; (3) like Barbados, but in reverse, reduce the VAT to say 10% for a reasonable period; (4) announce plans to assist NDC’s to acquire generators to provide electricity in far-flung communities where GPL is severely challenged; (5) announce near/future proposals to grant cheaply-priced house-lots to Hinterland workers who wish to migrate from the city and towns; (6) import, or waive duties for 26-seater coaches for government work-places and/or appropriate trade unions to operate, so your employees benefit from dirt-cheap transportation.
Trade unions should establish buying clubs to organize affordable consumer items for members. Overseas Guyanese should collaborate to establish “Diaspora opportunity projects” mooted when many came to empower villages and families during the much-publicised Emancipation observances in August. (You know, special schools, bakeries, medical clinics, vocational centres etc.)
This government has surpassed the Forbes Burnham tactic, with respect to salary increases for public servants. Burnham would intervene in the inevitable GPSU/government salary increases negotiations. He would insist on giving his employees an “interim increase”, not meant to prejudice the “on–going, protracted discussions” between his government and the workers’ representatives. After all, state employees deserved “something for Christmas.”
Of course, the workers welcome the financial morsels and hardly would there be any further substantial increases later. This dispensation 1992-2010, makes Burnham look like a dunce. You take what you get from these folks! That’s it! Is there still a GPSU? Discuss for Christmas as we await this year’s increases – if any. (The government giveth and the government taketh away. Praise be to the President…)
Show them government! Respond!
Agreed!? That the government need not respond to every criticism thrown its way? Gosh, there are scores daily. Some frivolous many serious.
Again, the hallmark of “Democracy”, in between elections is inclusiveness, transparency and elected administrations responding to valid, even well-meaning concerns/questions from their constituencies – which should be the whole country. We enjoy – or should – government for all! I’ve been bothering about some reasonable, consistent criticism and questions responsible Guyanese have and want answers on from government. I, a reasonable concerned, living-at-home citizen, do feel that the government has a responsibility, a duty to respond, honestly and fully to these issues, for example. I know my government can.
Publicise the procedures followed by buyers who acquired land to build big dwelling houses in the Sparendaam area; show the doubters that everything is in order for the new owners of that piece of real estate. (2) Respond to attorney-at-law Leon Rockcliffe who seems to have valid concerns at what’s happening at the Land Registry. Show him that there are no irregularities or illegalities please. (3) Please, my government, end this accusation over the of pharmaceuticals from the sole-sourcing of pharmaceuticals from the New GPC; show/explain how it assists the nation’s finances and is in keeping with your own procedures. (4) Explain how the 16% VAT rate was arrived at initially.
(5) Make attorney/accountant/critic, Christopher Ram shut up – tell the nation all about the status and role of, NICIL! (6) And confound your professional parliamentary critics by telling them how a comprehensive freedom of information law will benefit government too!
So my government, just for starters please deal with those requested responses. Along with your salary increases for the working class, that will make my Christmas. Happy season.
Ponder…
•1) Good for three (3) ministers of government recently. Congrats to Minister Baksh – he withdrew the letters of reprimand sent to the QC teachers; to Minister Ramsammy – he is admitting “errors” and taking lots of blame”; to Minister Manickchand – she’s for the dismissal of the Doctor, even as her staff is unhappy over other issues.
Softening up for next year’s expectations?
•2) Assignments for all young qualified/certified journalists: go to Haags Bosch, find out everything about our IDB-funded Sanitary landfill which has taken years to be completed. Find out why no bitumen for the Parika road and about quantity surveyors. Explore for me, class action suits against public utilities, for example.
•3) Tragic! Good Christians will die before the wrongly-chosen anniversary day of the birth (December 25). Natural disasters. Murders. Accidents. Discuss.
’Til next week!
(allanafenty@yahoo.com)
