The presence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Guyana has forced many businesses to curtail operations and, in other instances, to shut their doors completely with many workers being affected gravely. The Federation of Independent Trade Unions (FITUG) is therefore calling for State support for those affected workers.
In New Amsterdam, Berbice, certain businesses have been ordered to shut their doors, and in other parts of the country, curfews and stay-at-home advisories have been imposed. FITUG said that these measures can have an adverse effects on society if something is not done to maintain the balance.
While admitting that some reprieve has come in the form of delayed bill payments and obligations to the financial institutions, FITUG is of the opinion that these do not fully answer, nor do they address “holistically” the new-found plight of many workers and their families.
“In our view, the State needs to take an involved approach to alleviate the situation of families finding themselves in such a predicament and thus avoid the pitfalls it will bring about,” the bloc noted.
To this end, to bring relief to struggling workers, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions urge:
1. That no worker suffers any loss in pay during any period they may not be required at work arising from the curtailing or outright closure of workplaces;
2. The State, as the country’s major employer, ensures that all of its employees, whether employed in the public service, semi-autonomous and para-state agencies, receive their full salaries during the period;
3. The Government of Guyana works along with private sector employers to provide the necessary assistance, whether through fiscal or other measures, to ensure that businesses are able to meet their obligations to their employees;
4. The direct transfers be activated for self-employed and other affected Guyanese who have been rendered out-of-work arising from the prevailing situation; and
5. That the Government approves a waiver of income and value added taxes for at least the next six (6) months to allow Guyanese to be better able to cope with the increased cost-of-living brought about by the pandemic.
