‘EMPTY POCKETS, HUNGRY STOMACHS, EMPTY PROMISES’

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) said while it is aware that not all elections campaign promises can be fulfilled soon after a new government assumes office, the APNU/AFC government’s nice sounding promises and slogan about “a good life” some 14 months after taking office, is nothing but a reality show especially “when pockets are empty and stomachs are hungry”.

FITUG, in a hard-hitting statement issued this morning, said “this growing reality shows that the ‘Good Life’ remains a slogan and is possibly just a campaign delusion” by the APNU/AFC coalition.

“…after some fourteen (14) months since the national election the APNU/AFC administration has not merely failed to honour the nice sounding promises they made, many of which are reflected in their Manifesto, but actually reneged on issues impacting on the cost-of-living and wages of workers,” FITUG stated. The 2016 National Budget, one of the two presented to Parliament by the Coalition Administration, is incredulous. “It envisaged increases for about 140 taxes, some hiked as much as 1,200 per cent,” FITUG lamented.

It pointed out that the increased taxes nullify the modest wage rise given to workers. “Pensioners have had their water and electricity subsidies withdrawn. Public servants and the nation’s teachers have waited and wilted as one of the ubiquitous ‘Commissions’ reflected upon what was already obvious. Delaying tactics, in the guise of merit increases and differentiated salary adjustments are having deleterious effects on the nation’s working servants who witnessed substantial up-front salary increases for a select few.”

FITUG also pointed out that the nation’s sugar workers’ morale is at an all-time low. Besides the tragedy of retrenchment and redundancy at Wales, the new GuySuCo’s “plans” and “strategies” for “turnarounds” and diversification are closely-guarded secrets it seems. Dialogue between sugar workers and their Unions with the Corporation is hardly taking place. Sugar workers have been bluntly refused any wage increases since 2015.

The capital city’s municipality – another newly elected APNU/AFC local “government” – is busy seeking to impose container taxes and parking meter fees which will surely be to the detriment of the consumers who, undoubtedly, will be made to bear the passed on fees and taxes.