Dear Editor,
Now that the independence celebrations are over, the administration should get down in a serious way to implement the promises made by President Granger to create that ‘good life in a green economy.’
So far the performance of the administration in terms of delivering on its Manifesto promises is not encouraging. The promise of significant salary increases for public servants is still to be realised, more particularly with respect to our hard working nurses and teachers.
There should be a new minimum for professional nurses and teachers to the equivalent of US$500 or roughly one hundred thousand Guyana dollars per month. For too long our professionals in the teaching and nursing profession have subsidised these two vital sectors by working for salaries that are way below the level and quality of service they provide to our society.
I also believe that there is need for a return to the old system which rewards those with experience and length of service. It is unfair for someone who just joined the profession to be earning at the same level as those who have been on the job for years. I think the time is long overdue for this situation to be corrected.
Health and education are two of the most important ingredients of any successful nation and should therefore be adequately provided for in our budgetary allocations.
The income gap in the public service needs to be reviewed as well. I am still to understand why some people who earn at the maximum level from the public purse still enjoy income tax exemptions even though they also benefit from all manner of other allowances. No citizen regardless of rank or status should be exempted from the payment of their share of taxes.
I believe strongly in the virtues of a just and egalitarian society. What is sauce for the goose is certainly sauce for the gander and every effort should be made to ensure that all Guyanese benefit from the fruits of our collective labour. There should be no privileged category beyond what is considered fair and acceptable.
Yours faithfully,
Hydar Ally
