Ministers should enter Private Sector to get rich – GTUC

GTUC General Secretary Lincoln Lewis

Executive mega salary increases…

BY KRISTEN MACKLINGAM

General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Lincoln Lewis has expressed his displeasure at the recent decision by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government to grant massive increases to all of its Ministers.

“You cannot say that Ministers are not being paid properly because they are making much more than what the normal public servant or miner is making, but what I am saying to you is that if you want to get rich then go into the Private Sector,” Lewis said on Friday during a press briefing.

According to Lewis, if any elected official does not want to serve in the post that he/she has been tasked with, and which oaths were taken to do so, then the official should venture into the business sector to obtain profits.

“Public service is not the money that you receive that matters, it is what you can do for the people who have elected you… we have lived to get rid of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the new coalition has come into power and they are doing almost the same thing,” the GTUC General Secretary noted.

As such, since the APNU/AFC Administration has not demonstrated that it is different from the other party and wish to ‘become rich,’ then this new Government should ‘get out of office,’ he maintained.

Guyana Times was told that making profits is often associated with the business/Private Sector and it appears as if these new Government Ministers have not “come to grips” with the functions and responsibilities that they are mandated to provide to the public service.

Lewis further stated that the explanation given by this Administration that these mammoth increases in salaries would discourage the Ministers from accepting bribes and other such related incentives is not acceptable.

The media was told that there are other measures which could assist in this and include their mandatory declaration of assets to the Integrity Commission by parliamentarians across the board.

It must be reminded that the APNU+AFC coalition earlier declared that it would strengthen the laws governing the Integrity Commission to empower that body to “go after” those who fail to declare their assets.

According to the GTUC General Secretary, the Government has failed to provide justification for the decision of increasing its Ministers’ salaries. Lewis also disagreed vehemently at the secrecy of the announcement since the explanation given by the Administration was not “properly packaged and sold” especially since it was only made public after media houses obtained this information from the Official Gazette.

Guyana Times understands that unlike the GTUC, the Government has taken its desire for increased salaries to the Public Service Commission of Inquiry (CoI). Lewis declared that no wage or/and salary issue(s) should be dealt with by such a body; however, it should be handled through the internationally recognised process of collective bargaining.

“Wage and salaries in the public service and the Public Sector have to be addressed by negotiations across the table between the unions and the Government and Government agencies,” he said.

The call was made for this Administration to cease its pronouncements on wages and salaries and abide by the country’s Constitution and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on collective bargaining.

Recently, President David Granger had stated that the issue of increased salaries for teachers would be addressed by the Public Service CoI and the Teachers Union has already agreed to appear before the Commission.

However, it was noted that the Teachers Union is dissatisfied and upset at this Government’s decision to increase its Ministers salaries especially since the coalition had only been in office for a mere four months.

In the official Gazette published on September 25, it is stated that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo will be benefiting from a over $20 million per annum, while the other Vice Presidents will each receive $11,135,064.

Under the APNU/AFC Government, a Cabinet Minister will be given a hefty sum of $10,439,124 – annually – more than $300,000 over previous Ministers and a Junior Minister or a Minister within a Ministry will be paid $8,346,492 per annum.

In addition to the increased salary for Prime Minister Nagamootoo of $1.7 million monthly, an increase of over $200,000 each month, he will be drawing vacation benefits and perks totalling more than another $500,000. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)