As the teachers strike enters its third week the calls to meet the Teachers Union to engage in collective bargaining and pay teachers and other government workers are mounting. Guyana is the fastest growing economy.
The International Monetary Fund projects the economy should record a 38.4 percent real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate this year, while the country’s growth should continue with an expansion of an expected 26.6 percent in 2024. Oil and gas revenue is expected to earn the country US$ 2.08 billion up from US$ 1.6 billion in 2023. These sums are United States dollars, not Guyana’s.
The 2024 National Budget, the largest in Guyana’s history is $1.146 Trilling. Even in the presence of wealth, President Irfaan Ali administration has been verbally abusive to workers, withholding union dues, threatening not to pay striking teachers asking teachers. In the sea of wealth and a country where approximately half the population lives in poverty, or less than US$5.50 (G$1200.00) a day, according to the 2023 World Bank Report, President Ali said teachers must be “patient,” have “a conscience.”
The major parliamentary opposition, the A Partnership of National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), made public a breakdown where government could source money to pay workers better. To this end the APNU+AFC, in a recent statement, proposed prudent management of the country’s resources which could lead to reallocation of money to pay better salaries.
The Opposition said if Government maintains certain budget lines at their 2023 levels, where justified, or even consider a 5% increase, approximately $20 billion could be redirected towards improving the lives of hardworking taxpayers in Guyana. This, the coalition said can be achieved without imposing undue strain on the overall budget sum of $1.146 trillion.
For example, Government could reallocate funds as follows:
- $38 million from Refreshment and Meals, leaving the government with $504 million for this purpose.
- $2.7 billion from Dietary expenditures, allowing the government to still spend $10.7 billion for dietary needs.
- $486 million from National and Other Events, providing the government with $1.7 billion for such occasions.
- $8 billion from other miscellaneous expenses, leaving $20 billion for the government to address unforeseen costs.
- $2 billion from the Electricity budget line, enabling the government to still spend $7 billion for electricity-related expenses.
- $2 billion from Print and Non Print materials, leaving the government with $3B for this line item.
- $780M from Fuel and Lubricant allowing the government to still have more than $5B to use for travelling purposes.
According to the Opposition, the above approach ensures financial resources are used efficiently and effectively, prioritising the needs of the poor and vulnerable while maintaining the integrity of essential government services. “It is important to note that these resources are available without a reduction in corruption,” the Opposition challenged.
