Are we talking pennies here? Are these two jokers for real?

An enduring shame

One of this nation’s most enduring shames is the fact that a significant number of hardworking Guyanese do not earn a living wage and feel as though they are holding on to life by a thread. It seems as though many of our decision-makers regard this shame solely as an economic issue, inextricably linked to the state of the economy. In recent days, we had the Public Service Minister expressing that public servants should be happy with a five percent increase, citing that this is one of the few countries in the world that has been offering any salary increases to its public servants, and doing so on an annual basis. It was emphasised that in several Caribbean territories and further afield, workers are being laid off and some have had to take pay cuts in order to remain employed. The Minister then attempted to provide a strong dose of reality by asserting that the cupboard is bare. “We can’t give what we don’t have,” was the blunt assertion. She concluded by urging workers to be more understanding of the prevailing economy not just in Guyana, but worldwide. By now, those in the ruling administration with a modicum of understanding would have recognised that this is much more than an economic issue; it is a matter of ensuring basic human rights. Every working Guyanese has a basic right to a fair living wage. Low wage earners account for a substantial part of the country’s workforce. Some minimum wage workers are young adults just out of school who are cushioned by family earnings, but many are women with children who are the sole source of income in their households. Unfortunately, the earnings of lowest paid workers in Guyana put them well below the international poverty line of US$1.25 (G$250) a day. By most accounts, the average monthly earnings by low-income workers in Guyana are barely in this range, and many earn even less. Their ranks include some of the most important workers in Guyana, like teachers, nurses and members of the disciplined forces. These workers simply cannot meet their basic needs without subsidies of some kind, mainly from overseas-based relatives. Meanwhile, the cost of the fundamental amenities of life has increased much faster than wages and salaries. Food, clothing, and particularly the cost of housing and rent are rising steadily. Even with the government’s housing drive in full flow, it is still increasingly difficult for low-income families to afford even modest accommodation. Guyana continues to endure the disastrous social consequences of endemic poverty. Unfortunately, many of the lowest incomes are earned by public sector workers. What government needs to do is to once and for all set a standard, giving precisely the minimum amount of money full-time workers need to meet all basic needs in Guyana’s economy without government subsidies. It should then set goals attached to realistic time-frames that would move the minimum wage upwards to meet that standard, which would be updated at appropriate intervals. The administration might also find it useful to mandate that businesses under contract with the government, and businesses receiving grants, subsidies, tax breaks or any other concessions from government must pay their employees a living wage. Leaving it up to the laws of supply and demand has not worked in the interest of Guyanese workers. Workers have had to accept whatever wages they could get or simply remain unemployed, and the most desperate workers accept absurdly low wages and salaries. Setting a standard living wage and seeking to move the legal minimum wage towards it in a specific time-frame is the way to go. Workers want to see purposeful, distinctly positive steps towards giving low wage earners a fair living wage. Otherwise, workers will feel they are clinging to life by a thread and the labour market in Guyana as well as labour relations would be plagued with turmoil. The ongoing protests might just be the tip of the iceberg

Would any member of the joint opposition be willing be accept a salary cut to ensure a higher pay package for public servants?

Name one that has mansions like the PPP/C members.

None of the joint opposition members offered not even their parliamentary allowance to the public servants, it was clear to see, the joint opposition was using the public servants protest to score cheap political points.

Rohee and Nandlall are jokers. If they are serious, then they should do it by introducing a motion for legislation. Else, it's all fraaf.

Legislation is not necessary for a person to take a cut in salary to support an occasion. This support, while not generally known but exist on a daily basis, is made available in many countries by numerous individuals.

It simply requites the individual to make the necessary arrangement to properly deduct the amount for the designated purpose.

One man taking cut in salary will not make up for the raises promised by the PNC/afc to the thousands of public servants. In fact if you examine what most of these public servants do all day you would surmise that they are collecting welfare for doing nothing. They are a bunch of slackers demanding raises. Look at the nurses in Guyana, their crass bedside manners is legendary. They barely have any particular medical training for their profession and provide the worst care in the industry. In the US you need a 2 to 4 year college degree to be a nurse, in Guyana not even CXC is required. 

All they have to do is for the PPP to stop tiefin and then they'll be enough money to pay everyone a decent wage.

In the previous budget $4.4B was voted for public workers’ increases.

Where  did that $4.4B voted for the Public Servants go?

QUOTE: "

In response, Minister Rohee said that he has been working for the past 46 years and at the moment; his parliamentary ministerial salary is just over $300,000. Rohee said it was a struggle."

Let us analyze.

Clement Rohee has been working for 46 years. He has been a government minister for 21 of those years. The other 25 years he worked as a compositor at the Mirror newspaper and as a Freedom House functionary for low pay. Life was a struggle. Freedom House provided Rohee with a bed at the top floor. Later, after serving the PPP in Prague, Rohee lived in a house that Freedom House built in Atlantic Ville. Rohee had a wife and two teenage daughters. Life was a struggle for sure before 1992.

Rohee says his ministerial salary is $300,000 monthly. When President Jagan appointed Rohee a minister 21 years ago, his salary was far less.

Anyway, $300,000 x 12 = $3.6 million yearly. Since life is a struggle for Rohee, it means he is spending most of his $3.6 million yearly on living expenses and Grey Goose vodka. It means he has just a little left for savings.

Let us assume Rohee is a man who scrimps and saves just $1 million yearly. Multiply this number by 21[years] and the product is  $21 million.

Are we to assume that Clement Rohee bought land at Pradoville 2 and built his mansion and furnished it for just $21 million?

Finally, after earning a monthly salary of $300,000 Rohee says life for him is a struggle. What is life like for those public servants earning only $40,000 per month?

Where is the numbers guy Rev? He should see this.

Man some people does open dem mouth and talk just fuh talk sake. The CEO of JP Morgan Chase IS earning over 21 MILLION DOLLARS IN US CURRENCY, while a Civil Servant in NY City earns avg 35000 per year, I don't see dem mouthtar complaining bout dat!!!

Economies of scale, bhai Nehru.

Uncle Sam rich. Guyana dutty poor. De guvment cyant afford to pay public servants more than 5% increase but dem ministas earning plenty mullah. And we ex-Prezzi Bharrat getting $1 million plus fringe benefits per month.

Ting nah regula.

So a Minister should live and earn like a Civil Servant. Oh yes Communism stipulates this. You are right Bhai, my bad.

And I don't know your Math skills but believe me 300000 Guy equals $1500 US. How much US you think wan Minista in Guyana should earn per month. If you need a calculator, you can use one on yuh Computa.

15K USD yearly is not a lot of money in Guyana, especially after tax. How many expats would want to return to Guyana and earn 15K usd a year and endure busing and harassment from disgruntled former ppp supporters and pnc/afc detractors?

If Jagdeo, Ramotar, Luncheon, all Dem PPP Ministers, All Member of Parliarment, All Dem Fat-Cats and Dutty Crab Louse tek a pay cut ....there will be enough money to double Civil Servants pay....

Then if yuh cut out Corruption....yuh can pay all Govt Workers & Civil Servants 3 times wha them getting now.

Don't stop there. From your Section 8 housing, explain how they are able to buy prime real estate land and  build those mansions at Pradoville 1&2. Neandralall recently got brand new 4/4's whilst you are driving around with fully depreciated smoke pot that you can't even find in Kelly's Blue Book. hahahahahah! 

look out for the hotel nandalall will be building soon 

The opposition does not have the benefit o pillaging from the nations till at will. The sententious offering up of salary with one hand when they take from the people with the other is not going to cut it. You can fool the unconnected villagers in black bush but even they are being fed information daily that will no longer be so easily open them up to be susceptible to the PPP wiles. They are coming to the end of their run and god help those crooks when we can lay hands on them. We may have to build new jails.

You will be putting criminals in charge of these jails. In actual fact you will be replacing one jackass with another..

you right to call the ppp jackass but in this case it will be a bunch of thieving jackass