Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton has called out the government for its refusal to engage the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) to end the deadlock as educators continue industrial action for more pay and better working conditions.
Norton, in an address to the nation, said that the government, despite having the resources to meet the union’s demands, has taken a “hard and unconscionable” stance in not engaging with the GTU “for the greater good”.
“The government may be thinking that they don’t want to show weakness and must hold out against all comers but let me be clear – this is not a time for one upmanship,” the Opposition Leader said.
He underscored the importance of resolution, noting that the nation is suffering.
“Our teachers are suffering, our children are suffering, the vendors who work around the schools are suffering, the transportation workers who transport our students and teachers are suffering, every parent who has a child is suffering, all our people are suffering because this government considers itself above the people and refuses to understand that they are there to serve rather than to dictate and we condemn this intransigence by the government in the harshest terms possible,” he said.
Norton added that during his party’s tenure in office between 2015 and 2020, it was also faced with a similar situation, however the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government acceded to the demands of the teachers.
“This was not weakness or merely a political manoeuvre, but a recognition of the invaluable contribution of our educators to the development of our society. We understood then, as we do now, that investing in education is investing in our nation’s present and future.
It is regrettable that the current regime has allowed this impasse to endure for so long, despite the availability of the oil revenues as referenced by the recent trillion-dollar budget.””
Norton added that monies are available to pay teachers and all public servants and the suggestion that the cost of raising salaries for teachers cannot be considered is untenable.
“Our children should not be held hostage to political brinkmanship. The longer this strike persists, the greater the harm inflicted upon the most vulnerable members of our society. Government should note that by their actions they are creating the conditions for all public servants to consider whether they too should come out on the picket line, because as the cost-of-living skyrockets wages have not kept up,” he said.
Norton’s comments come days after President, Dr Irfaan Ali asked teachers and other public servants to be patient. However, Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo has declared the increase as financially unsustainable. citing the volatility of oil prices.
Moreover, both leaders and the Education Minister, Priya Manickchand have suggested that the strike is illegal. According to the government, it was the GTU that abandoned talks and began mobilizing teachers. The government noted that more than 20 demands were already met with the union and others were in train when the strike began. It also noted that the industrial action is “political” in nature.
The ongoing strike persists amidst the last semester preceding two pivotal exams: the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC). The NGSA serves as a placement test for students transitioning from primary to secondary school, whereas the CSEC is instrumental in enabling students to qualify for employment opportunities and admission to tertiary institutions.
