Dear Editor:
In 1987 in a march from Buxton to Kitty organized by the Patriotic Coalition for Democracy (PCD), the current Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnarine made a stirring speech on behalf the workers. For those who are not aware, the PCD was an opposition coalition made up of the relevant opposition forces to the then PNC government (PPP, WPA, DLM and so on). It was similar to the APNUAFC coalition that was in opposition before May 2015. Dr. Roopnarine said at that rally in 1987 that – “the workers need more that G$19.40 a day since it was an insult”. He further stated, “the TUC should get off its knees and stop begging, stand up and demand a decent living wage.” Revolutionary words from a revolutionary in 1987! Where is that revolutionary today? Reading the newspapers in November 2015, one must acknowledge that the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) is on record for calling on the Granger administration to show it has the best interest of teachers at heart by respecting agreements made for their benefit under the previous Jagdeo/Ramotar administrations. Good call from the GTU.
As one reflects on the issue one can be guided by history. History must be considered because in the current coalition government there are a few revolutionaries in office at the highest levels who served in the trenches for decades fighting for the workers’ cause. Prime Minister Cde Nagamootoo comes to mind easily (50 plus years in the struggle); Dr Roopnaraine and Dr Thomas (over 35 years in the struggle) and so on. So the GTU have friends in high places so they should be getting a fair deal, unlike the deal they got from the anti-working class Jagdeo/Ramotar administrations.The teachers can also count among their alumni, powerful people like Minister Amna Ally.
So why are we here in November 2015 with such a quantum of unresolved issues in relation to the teachers? This kind of lethargic behaviour was expected from the Jagdeo/Ramotar administrations, not Dr Roopnaraine’s. For years the Jagdeo/Ramotar PPP cabal made all sorts of promises to the teachers, but in the end the most they got was 5 per cent and a carrot on a stick tied to their head.
If one is to study what happened, it was the result of poor levels of militancy on the issues from the GTU leadership. Teachers have in their hands the most important assets of the nation yet the GTU leadership allowed the Jagdeo team to fool them on every occasion. Are they ready to be fooled again? For how long more will the leadership of the GTU allow itself to be misled and mistreated, and by extension actively contribute to the migration of our brightest and best teachers?
The bottom line is those teachers deserve a living wage. When do they deserve it – now! There is no justifiable explanation to support why they should wait until 2016 and 2017. The GTU has to use its tools or else they will become another paper union like T Anson Sancho’s, called the Association of Masters and Mistresses which literally served no purpose at all but as a poodle to a process.
Teachers’ remuneration (including the de-bunching agreement) and promotion need immediate attention, and no sweet words from the Minister should be acceptable – it is a matter of can he do it or can he not.
If he can, then he should do it and stop waddling around on the issue. If he cannot then it is time for the teachers to use the power in their hands. I hope now that we have a government committed to offering the good life, and they will quickly resolve these issues for the teachers of Guyana. It is time for action.
Yours faithfully,
Sase Singh