By Jomo Paul
![Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams [iNews Photo]](https://i0.wp.com/www.inewsguyana.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/20151012_085942.jpg)
This is after the government would have received scathing criticisms for the increases at this time given the state of the economy. The Government was also criticized for the manner in which it executed the increases even after telling the nation that there were no immediate plans for an increase.
Williams told reporters on Monday that the process was “transparent.”
“I think it’s transparent; don’t you? It can’t be something hidden because it has to be laid in parliament…it has to be approved in parliament,” Williams said in response to a question from iNews.
The Government currently has a one-seat majority in the National Assembly hence the motion would be passed when laid in the House.
GTUC General Secretary Lincoln Lewis on Friday stated that while the Union is concerned about the manner in which the increase were administered, it believes that wages should be increased for everyone – including politicians.
“We believe in a wage led economy and we can’t believe in a wage led economy and condemn the increase. We are not against the increase in wages or salaries. What we are concerned about in the process in which it has been applied to deliver it,” said Lewis.
Other civil society groups such as the Guyana Teacher Union, Red Thread and Transparency International are among the voices of critics against the move by the government.
The order for the increases was made on September 23, by Finance Minister Winston Jordan.
The judicial system raised eyebrows when Basil Williams was appointed AG. Listen to his idiotic remarks, ‘Parliament approved the salary increase.’ Great explanation, AG !! Screw the ordinary Guyanese public servants and the mediocre increases given to them.
We as guyanese condemn these acts , however , we must not use this as a platform to continue inciting racial separation, we must stand as Guyanese and condemn it together as guyanese
A political error so basic that you can easily lose trust in the new Government. Like the recent National awards which went overwhelmingly to African Guyanese. And the sudden dismissal of 2000 young Amerindians.
No need whatsoever to act so blatantly and create ethnic insecurity. Guyanese want to give the new Government a chance to succeed, but these errors are made in arrogance or amateurism, time will tell.
AP/ CONFU is going to defend the removal of the Ram and mootoo just now, they are the two fruits in a basket of ??? We will re shuffle next,,,,
These people are barefaced, forked tongued, arrogant, callous, liars, vicious, deceitful, and everything that goes to describe them. They condemned the salary enjoyed by the now opposition when in government. After just four months, they feel that they have worked so damn hard that they deserve to be rewarded with inflation busting increase by miles and miles..The working class will just sit and wait for the little morsels after they have had the lion’s share.
How are they going to finance that kind of super salary? They declared that the treasury was empty, the economy was bankrupt. Suddenly, they found enough to bury their snouts deep down gobbling up whatever they could as quickly and early as possible.
Guyanese,wherever you are, take note. No plans in place for generating national income but they are now on a spending spree, raping the treasury. Or perhaps they are hoping for the oil bonanza? That is a long way off.
The previous PNC govt discriminated against Indo Guyanese in the awarding of scholarships for advanced education. We must not expect that this PNC govt will do any better. While we must advocate for our fair share from the govt, Indo Guyanese abroad must open their homes and wallets to these brilliant students and help to finance their university education. Create a fund / not for profit etc to raise funds for their training. They are the intellectuals of the future. The Swami is doing his part and so must we. I call on all descendants of the Jahajis’ to raise their consciousness and act purposefully.
Was anything other than this was expected.. changes are indeed happening with or without consultations.. what’s undemocratic and what’s democratic.. who knows??? And this was the change the so called guyanese had wanted long now…