Dear Editor,
It is good income tax relief is being given to twenty-one thousand employees, mostly those earning in excess of the public sector minimum salary, but what about those employees already exempted from income tax by virtue of their depressed wages, such as security guards, domestics, waitresses, shop assistants, pump attendants et al, who barely earn enough to cope with the continuous increase in the cost of living. Is there any relief in the budget for these wage earners?
Take a security guard, for example, who earns a minimum wage of $100.00 per hour or $4,800.00 per week or $20,800.00 per month – equivalent to US$100 dollar. How can such a person purchase a house lot, build a house, access health care – not always free – pay transportation costs, provide meals, pay light bills and a host of other miscellaneous expenses with such an amount. Surely, if the unemployed, self employed and pensioners are added to the list of minimum wage-earners it will amount to more than twenty-one thousand persons, a substantial voter block, yet the most vulnerable.
As for old age pensioners, why not differentiate between those who are receiving NIS and other pensions against those not receiving, and pay them a substantial increase. I understand that the NIS has already set a precedent in applying the government increases only to those receiving the minimum pension. I may be wrong, but if true, it cannot be considered discriminatory if old age pensioners not receiving other pensions are paid more.
Old age pensioners should also be extended to overseas-based Guyanese provided they are owners of property in Guyana and are in receipt of NIS pensions. Obviously, they would have contributed in some measure to the development of Guyana prior to retirement, and still have attachments to Guyana. At the same time consideration should be given to all those pensioners receiving less than a $10,000.00.
There is also a need to substantially increase the minimum wages of all employees governed by minimum wages legislation, given the example of the security guard.
And, since there is an abundance of land in Guyana why not consider identifying the most vulnerable and sell them house lots for US$100.00. This will go a long way in building confidence among the poor and make them feel more valued as Guyanese citizens.
Yours faithfully,
D Sookdeo
