Government providing $150,000 cash grant to fisherfolks, again public servants get nothing

The Government has been distributing a $150,000 cash grant to fisherfolks across Guyana. Fisherfolks  on the East Coast Demerara received the one-off payment on Monday and Thursday those in Region Three received theirs.

As the government pays out these one-off grants to sugar workers and fisherfolks, former bauxite workers employed at the Bauxite Company Guyana Inc (BCGI), which is co-owned by the Government of Guyana and Russia Aluminum, get nothing. Mr. Lincoln Lewis, General Secretary of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) that represents these workers said the government continues to ignore efforts by the union to address outstanding grievances such as outstanding payments.

Wages/Salary Proposals by teachers and other members in the public service, who are represented by the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) continue to be ignored by the government. Ms. Coretta McDonald, General Secretary, GTU said the union is still awaiting the government’s response to their proposal. The GPSU faces the same situation and has taken the government to court, seeking the court’s intervention to have the government respect the right to collective bargaining.