After enduring years of abuse, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) now has a chance at a “fresh start” under the new APNU+AFC government, according to the body’s president Patrick Yarde who called for the immediate restoration of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the union’s 21st Biennial Delegates’ Conference yesterday, Yarde also announced that the union is taking steps that would allow police and army ranks to join trade unions. He also called for sustained dialogue with government.
Speaking under the theme ‘Enhancing the process of the Restoration of Dignity and Professionalism in the Public Service,’ Yarde delivered a robust presentation to the delegates gathered at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal.
Noting that the conference is occurring in a season of change, Yarde told the delegates and special invitees that what is being sought is “an end of the days of the impoverished public servants.”
He said the union knows that things will take time to happen but wants assurance that its representation of the interests of members is taken seriously.
Yarde recalled that in the 1990s, the late president Dr Cheddi Jagan had set up a bipartisan committee to look at wages and salaries in the public service as well as the formulation of a productivity strategy and the design of a productivity improvement programme for the public service. A report was later compiled and submitted.
“This document symbolized much of the frustrations that public servants have had to endure under the previous administration,” he said even as he explained that the commitment given in this document “died when Dr. Jagan died. His successors relegated the public service to misery.”
According to Yarde, the PPP failed to understand that the public service is the bedrock upon which the efficient functioning of government stands. He made it clear that while his intention is not to dwell on the past, at times in looking to the future, the past must be examined.
The GPSU president told the delegates that they must not forget the politicization of the Public Service Commission, the effects of the non–functioning of the Public Ser-vice Appellate Tribunal, and the consequential fall-outs which include denial of promotions, nonpayment of increments, unlawful imposition of salaries, denial of natural justice and due process and blatant discrimination and victimization. His remarks were met with a loud round of applause.
Yarde spoke of the denial of land for housing for members and day-care facilities for their children for over two decades, as many of those gathered nodded in agreement.
He urged members not to forget the “blatant” attempt by the former administration to suffocate the union financially and to take away its sports complex land, which was gifted by the PNC government about 40 years ago for recreational purposes.
The union president also called for the “abuses of the past be not repeated” before voicing his disapproval of how scholarships for students and members of the public service were handed out. He urged that the process be reviewed so that it can be just and fair.
Yarde also spoke of the meagre retirement packages given to public servants. “Many of us retire broke, completely dependent on pension that does not come remotely close to being a fair representation to the contributions that we gave,” he said to claps and mutters of approval. The GPSU president said too that many public servants and their families are left uncertain about their future.
“Those are the images of public servants that we see so frequently. I want that to end…,” he declared to loud applause. He added that the union would welcome any proposal put forward by government for the enhancement of the welfare for members and the public service. “We will work with government for the achievement of goals that are collectively set.” He emphasised that the union’s “strategy will be governed by our experiences.” He said that the union welcomes and supports government’s announcement of the development of a training institute for public servants.
He also acknowledged that the public service is unable to compete with forces such as migration and better paying jobs in the private sector but the union will always advocate for loyalty from its members.
According to Yarde, members are paid salaries that cannot meet their needs and “all too frequently in hostile work environments.” Some members, he said, have gone to their graves dissatisfied and he later stressed that a revamp of the public servant has to begin now.
“We in the Guyana public service cannot accept a double standard. We want the powers that be to know that,” Yarde said during his 30-minute presentation. He added that it is not all about emoluments but also restoring dignity to the public service.
“Dignity that has been taken away by arrogance of power that sometimes is demonstrated by ministers of the government and senior officials. Leadership is not about intimidation. It is not about creating a bunch of intimidated and frightened public servants, it is about respecting their contributions,” he said to shouts of “yes!” and clapping.
The union head said the union is currently fashioning recommendations for the ongoing public service Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that deals with the creation of conditions which will in the long term, improve the quality of lives of members and their families as well as the quality of service provided. He said it is hoped that at the end of the CoI, “meaningful and tactful recommendations” will be given to government.
Meanwhile, Yarde used the occasion to call for the Public Service Appellate Tribunal to be restored immediately. “It is a constitutional requirement,” he said before adding that the Arbitration Tribunal award of 1999 should also become effective immediately. Yarde called too for the union’s role in collective bargaining in the relevant range of issues to be reinstated immediately.
Yarde also told the gathering that sweeper/cleaners in the Ministry of Education should be treated as full-time employees in the public service. The delegates clapped in agreement.
Turning his attention to the group of government ministers present, he said that Minister in the Minis-try of Social Protection Simona Broomes, who has responsibility for labour, should be congratulated for the work she has been doing. He said the union is very impressed by what it has seen so far.
He expressed concern for the workers at the Guyana Revenue Autho-rity’s (GRA) complex on Camp Street. He said some workers may already be experiencing health related issues given the state of the building. He urged government to find a suitable complex for the workers urgently.
Yarde also informed that the union is looking to pursue legislation to allow policemen and army ranks to be able to join trade unions. “These people are public servants in uniform and we feel that all workers should be able to get representation,” he said while adding that a resolution will be coming before the conference seeking to clean out the undesirables in the force and for ranks to be properly compensated.
He emphasised that given the risk and work that goes with policing, a rank should not be paid less than US$1,000 per month.
Yarde called for a return of dialogue between the union and the government. “This dialogue must be serious, it must be sustained…and it must be underpinned by an environment of good will,” he said.
During the opening ceremony, delegates and invitee were entertained by several cultural items and musical renditions from the Guyana Police Force band.
GPSU General Secre-tary Kempton Alexander delivered greetings from sister organizations. Among the government members present were Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Broomes, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister of Social Cohesion Amna Ally.
