Dear Editor,
Many of the public servants whose services were terminated by the PPP/C government last year are really suffering. Since many of them were professionals and held senior positions, it is difficult for them to find professional jobs. Many of these persons are also from the black community. I did a rough calculation of the economic impact to the black community over the past year, from September, 2020 to September, 2021. At a salary of $300,000 dollars per month for twelve months, by let’s use a conservative figure of 200 persons; that would be $300,000 by 12, equals $,3,600,000 million, multiply by 200 persons, equals $720m.
The black professional community and by extension the black community, is suffering from the economic loss by the termination of the services of public servants over the past year.
This action by the government is a violation of the Constitutional rights of these citizens as shown in the following Articles: Article 15 States that ‘The goal of economic development includes the objective of laying the material basis for the greatest satisfaction of the people’s growing material, cultural and intellectual requirements, as well as dynamically stable development of their personality, creativity, entrepreneurial skills and co-operative relations in a plural society. The state shall intervene to mitigate any deleterious effects of competition of individuals or groups of individuals.’
Article 21 states that ‘The source of growth and social-wealth of the well-being of the people, and of each individual, is the labour of the people’. Article 22 (1) states ‘Every citizen has a right to be rewarded according to the nature, quality and quantity of his or her work, to equal pay for equal work or work of equal value, and to just conditions of work’. (2) Every citizen who is able to work, has a duty to work.’
Article 38 A. states ‘To ensure that Guyana is a democratic state with a healthy economy, the State shall; (a) facilitate the engagement of citizens in activities designed to achieve their sustainable livelihoods; (c) encouraging and support the self-mobilization of citizens’.
This action by the government has also impacted tremendously on the economic stability of black families.
Yours faithfully,
Citizen Audreyanna Thomas
