More than a dozen Linden teachers who are claiming that they have not been paid for months are calling on the relevant authorities to make the necessary arrangements to correct this.
In an interview with Stabroek News one of the affected teachers explained that she has not been paid since the conclusion of the school term in July.
“In my case, my salary was withheld from July,” the woman said. She went on, “I came back and work and everything; I resumed my duties as usual but they told that that I would receive my salary in September and subsequently that didn’t happen.”
The woman added that now the teachers are being told that they will be paid at the end of October.
However, she stated that this situation is greatly affecting her and her family. According to the woman, she is unable to send her children to school and is also unable to attend work.
“I’m greatly affected… My children can’t go to school after three consecutive months without pay,” she said. She went on, “I can’t work because I can’t leave minors at home alone so my classes are not being taught and therefore the students are being affected as well.”
When contacted, Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) President Mark Lyte said the union was aware of the teachers’ plight and was working with Linden officials to have the issue resolved.
He further explained that the problem arose after some of the teachers left the country without acquiring the requisite permission. He added that there are procedures which dictate that teachers seek permission before making any trips overseas. Failure to do so could result in these teachers having their salaries withheld until they are accounted for.
“Some left before school closed while some others left during the vacation; their salaries were put on hold,” he said.
However, Lyte said, some of these teachers subsequently informed him that they were unaware of the procedure. He explained that some of the teachers had managed to return just in time to indicate their return and receive pay by September. Others, he said, were not so fortunate.
However, he promised that the issue would be soon resolved and stated that he had been in Linden up to last week to look into the matter.
“The union was in contact with the regional executive officers and the teachers will be paid in October,” Lyte said. He further said that the union was working to see whether advances could be paid to affected teachers but he was told that there were strict procedures which governed the payment of salaries and therefore advances could not be given.
However, one affected teacher is maintaining that the promise of payment in a few weeks is unacceptable.
“The union’s practically dragging their foot on this,” the woman said. She continued, “I’m forced to wait three more weeks; I have a mortgage to pay, children to send to school, bank loans to pay… I want to resume my life as usual.”
She went on to say that her name had been taken off the payroll and not simply put on hold; some of the other teachers, she claimed, were also taken off their respective payrolls.
She is suggesting that the relevant authorities administer advances or loans to affected teachers.
“Everybody just saying they trying, trying. I just want them to find a way to give us some money to survive until October month-end,” she said before adding, “Because after three consecutive months if you have savings or anything that’s going to be expended. So waiting for another three weeks, my house is going to be put for foreclosure because it hasn’t been paid for three months. Where will my children and I go?” she asked.
