Dear Editor,
May the First has come and gone and the Guyanese worker is in a worse state than the year before. I base this assertion on the performance of the coalition government and its treatment of workers. This government came in on a high note that they would create jobs and raise the wage levels of the hard-working people of this country. Well, to date none of that has happened and the worker is left in a worse state. Some in the apologists’ camp might be tempted to say that this is a new government ‒ only a year on in office ‒ so they should be given a chance to prove themselves.
Be that as it may, when you look at the financial record of this government and the way they have been doing things you get a clear sense as to what it is all about and where the country is headed. The coalition mere months into office raised their salaries by over 50%. Mark you, this is the same government which when in opposition spoke out against the extravagance of the PPP/C government; however, when their turn at governance came they did quite the opposite. And this has been the hypocritical nature of the regime ever since.
In addition to this is the fact that they fired over 2,000 Amerindian short-term employment workers as well as others. This is anti-worker and anti-unity.
Then, there is the announced closure of the Wales Estate and the impending full closure of the LBI Estate. This means that hundreds would be on the breadline as well as hundreds more who are indirectly linked to the industry.
Then there is the fact that hardworking breadwinners are attacked by violent criminals. Hardworking people cannot be at peace in the comfort of their homes and enjoy the little they have, without some criminal taking it away. What was there to celebrate on Workers Day 2016? Therefore it came as no surprise when the President decided to evade the public’s gaze and go on one of those overseas trips and leave his deputy to face the workers.
Again I ask the question, what was there to celebrate this May 1st, 2016?
Yours faithfully,
Neil Adams