Last week, we discussed a number of issues relating to the five per cent increase for public servants, arbitrarily agreed upon by the Government after talks broke down with the Guyana Public Service Union. In keeping with normal practice, the next stage should have been to refer the matter for arbitration proceedings. However, this was not done, and since 1995 salary increases were an imposition by the Government, except for the 1999 Armstrong Arbitration Award.
We considered it unfortunate for the Government to continue to time the increase to coincide with the Christmas
