Dear Editor,
I am appealing to the Government of Guyana in collaboration with the Guyana Teachers‘ Union to pay attention to a very important issue that is being discussed by teachers, especially the senior ones, and that is the issue of duty-free concessions to senior masters/mistresses (SM) and heads of department (HOD) in the teaching system. HODs and SMs should be issued with duty free vehicles just as deputies and HMs are.
1. HODs and SMs have similar or even better qualifications than the Joint Services officers who are granted duty-free vehicles every three years.
2. Most HODs and SMs are university graduates and can afford to pay for a duty-free vehicle from their salaries.
3. Caribbean teachers in the Bahamas, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda and Trinidad and Tobago to name a few, enjoy duty-free status while here in Guyana it is different.
4. Qualified SM and HOD teachers who had migrated will remigrate to Guyana once benefits like duty-free vehicles are available.
5. A greater number of senior teachers will become more motivated and committed and will remain in the system rather than opting for other jobs and migrating to other countries like the Bahamas which offers duty-free vehicles for all categories of senior teachers.
6. Teachers belong to an honourable profession. And a noble profession should be treated as such in today‘s civilised society. Teachers assist in the shaping and moulding of the minds of Guyana’s citizens and must be honoured by being rewarded as well.
7. SMs and HODs are made to wait for transportation like buses or cars, as well as taxis occasionally, on many mornings at their street heads. Others are seen peddling bicycles and arrive at their schools hot and sweaty after riding two or three miles.
8. Tardiness, which is a huge concern, will be curbed when these teachers drive to school in less time than going to catch transportation at street corners. This will also allow more contact time with students to be pushed in. In addition, more money will be saved rather than spending huge sums on transportation each morning. I do hope that the government can work with the Guyana Teachers‘ Union in an amicable way on this issue, so that soon duty-free concessions can also be extended from the HM and deputy to SMs and HODs.
World Teachers Day is coming up in October; I wonder how we as teachers will be honoured in our beloved country.
Yours faithfully,
Marlon Daniels
