If government had an interest in addressing the well-being of teachers’, it would have simply terminated the multi-million dollar contract it has with Larry Singh for the rental of a house in Sussex Street for the purposes of storing drugs. This is according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.
Jagdeo held a press conference earlier today at his Church Street Office. There, he told the media about some of the matters he managed to speak to President David Granger about when they met this morning to discuss the appointment of the new Commissioner of Police, Leslie James.
Jagdeo said that he told President Granger that he is worried about the teachers.
Jagdeo said that he told the President of his belief that there is money to fund a lot of what the teachers have been asking for without increasing overall expenditure in the National Budget.
“I said to him, you have a corrupt contract and I said corrupt contact where the Government of Guyana now pays an individual $14M VAT inclusive for a house in Sussex Street which is closed up most of the time,” said Jagdeo.
Jagdeo said that the $14M paid monthly to rent the “house” accumulates to $170M a year. He said that this can give the teachers way more than a 100 percent increase in their clothing allowance.
Jagdeo noted that teachers asked for an increase in clothing allowance from $8,000 to $25,000. He said that the $170M divided by 13,000 teachers will allow $13,000 per month more per teacher. “If you add that (the $13,000) to the $8,000 that they are getting now it will come up to $21,000. They asking for $25,000, we can give $21,000. The task force recommended $13,000.”
Jagdeo stressed, “Termination of that drug bond contract alone can fund clothing allowance for all 13,000 teachers. “
Jagdeo said he urged the President “To handle this matter urgently and I said to him you have been stressing the importance of Education. And so now it is time to address the teachers concerns urgently.”
