Dear Editor,
Historically the Industrial Revolution began in Britain in the 18th century, then spread to the rest of Europe. This was the age of remarkable inventions in science and technology leading to the establishment of factories resulting in mass production.
In this 21st century science and technology have reached astronomical proportions. Meanwhile, the world’s population has increased geometrically causing severe food shortages and unemployment. However, despite the power of trade unionism many workers worldwide are subjected to wide-ranging injustices.
Guyana, one of the smallest societies, is no exception to these abuses. There is unemployment and underemployment both in the government and private sectors, blatant violation of labour laws, sexual harassment and the list goes on. Apart from low wages and salaries, the sorest point is the non-payment of the NIS by many employers.
Taxation both for employers and employees needs to be reviewed. A living wage is fundamental as an incentive for workers to produce. The pensioner who is lucky or unfortunate to be alive should be able to live on his pension.
Yours faithfully,
Malcolm Clarke
