APNU would pay teachers a 35% increase if returned to gov’t – Norton

Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Norton yesterday vouched that if his party was returned to government he would ensure that public servants receive a minimum 35% increase.

At a press conference yesterday, Norton said, “The People’s Progressive Party’s offer to the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) of a 10% increase on teacher’s salary is ridiculous, disrespectful, vindictive and a reflection of the disdain that the regime has for teachers and other public officials.”

He stated that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and President Irfaan Ali had demanded, while in opposition, that the APNU+AFC government pay teachers 50%. “They made this demand under the then government before the discovery of oil, claiming that the then government could afford it. Now when there is oil the said government is contending that they cannot afford to pay teachers 50% increase. This is the level of hypocrisy, disdain, vindictiveness and trickery that [they] are meting out to the hard working teachers of this nation,” Norton said.