Public servants’ woes at Christmas
By Sheba Thomas RN Dedicated Public Servant
In reference to the announcement of a five percent pay hike for public servants made by the Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon on November 20, 2013, and recent support of such an ‘extravagant increase’ coming from President Donald Ramotar, compelled me to give a response in my ‘gratefulness’ as a public servant for such an increase.
Sheba Thomas
As a nurse, I feel there is no greater honour than to serve my country. In this great country of ours, this honour is devalued and trampled upon by the very persons we serve, and disrespected by the governments we elect to govern our affairs. As a public servant, I find it extremely offensive for the Government of Guyana to impose a mere five percent pay increase on public servants yearly and to justify this through childish games of pointing fingers. It is even more ridiculously insulting of them to say I am looking forward to my five percent increase, since us lowly public servants don’t have supersized salaries as those who actually can look forward to it. Five percent increase on a basic Registered Nurse’s salary of $62,000 is nothing after tax, and when compared to the cost of living in Guyana, especially in this Christmas season. I would ask our dear government to put themselves in the shoes of nurses and see if they could live on such a salary. Put yourselves in the shoes of all lowly public and see if five percent is really enough. Is this what nurses and other lower-tier public servants deserve for serving our nation? And as if insulting us was not enough, they added disrespect by justifying the reasons of the ‘extravagant’ increase as being due to budget cuts. For our President to support such a heinous action by his government is an insult to our intelligence, since it is clear and known by all that the opposition did not cut budgets for the Public Service Ministry which included wages and salaries, and also provided for a 15 percent increase for all public servants. It is my belief that this information was deliberately bypassed or escaped our government, hence the ludicrous rational and flimsy excuses as they make a simple topic a political issue. To also blame the increase on other projects that have been cut is childish since they are not interrelated. This debacle brings me to the famous saying and comparison of the PPP/C. “We have taken Guyana forward… Guyana’s economy is now financially stable in comparison to our Caribbean countries”. If this is truly so, why then is there a mere five percent increase yearly for public servants, why is it public servants’ salaries cannot match those of the Caribbean countries? Must we first beg and grovel at the feet of Government for what is rightfully ours, before it can be given? Is this method of imposing ridiculous increases meant to keep us in some form of modern day slavery where we are grateful for whatever the Government doles out to us? The Government was elected to govern our affairs not to take advantage of us. I will continue to hope and pray that compassion reaches the heart of this government that claims to care for every citizen of this great country of ours. I will also look forward to years when salary increases for public servants will surpass five percent and when public servants, especially those at the lower levels can earn enough to live a moderate life. With this I remind all Guyanese, the measure we serve to others is the measured served to us throughout life.
