By Tracey Khan – Drakes
[www.inewsguyana.com] – A number of government schools across the country are expected to be closed from today (Monday, May 04) due to the industrial action planned by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), over government’s non-payment of debunching monies.
The debunching payment is intended to cater to the salaries of teachers, whereby those with the same status will be paid based on their years of experience.
This would, for example, ensure that a senior teacher who was trained 10 years ago will not be placed on the same salary scale as a senior master or mistress that was subsequently trained.
President of the GTU, Mark Lyte told iNews during a telephone interview that a number of schools were seeking further clarification on the ‘work-to-rule’ action which was provided and as a result those schools will be joining the union’s call for better working conditions in the form of industrial action.
Teachers will go to work each day as per norm but can leave after reporting faulty conditions to their Head Teachers. Guyanese will go to the polls in eight days to choose a new government and in this regard, Lyte made it clear that this action no elections gimmick.
The ‘work-to-rule’ action will see teachers performing only their assigned task. The union has informed the Permanent Sectary of the Ministry of Education, Labour Minister and the Office of the President of its plans by way of letter.
Lyte told iNews that the education ministry has not shown any interest in stopping its industrial action. The action is likely to continue indefinitely until such time that teachers are afforded the monies owed to them.
The GTU met government spokesman, Dr Roger Luncheon about two weeks ago, when they were informed of government’s inability to honour the debunching payment, a promise that was first made 10 years ago.
This is uncalled for. The children should not suffer. smh
This guy Mark Lyte, should be ashamed of himself to be so ungrateful to the Government. Collin Bynoe would have never done what this hypocrite is planning.
This womanizer is known to have affairs with young Indian teacher girls and still practice racism. It was only a few years now that a national cricketer took a beautiful teacher girl from his hands. At the time both of them was teaching at Chandi School.
Everybody in New Amsterdam here know of his wicked ways.
Here is another smooth brain, Mark Lyte, in every corner the opposition look, there is defeat and they are like fish out of water. This is their final round in the political match and they will never accept their defeat. The PPP is the only party and administration that can have this country continue in progress through modernization.
everything and everyone in guyana right now is about election..
It is a way to afford teaches time off to prepare themselves as APNU scrutineers and working as E day staff, risking our kids future for the extra $, we are not fools.
Let him and his band of foolish followers go right ahead and do what they wanna do. Let’s see who gives them the attention they seek.
Mark Lyte is a known PNC of Rose Hall Town who was trained at CPCE. Rose Hall and subsequently attended the UGBC. Tain Campus at the PPP Government Expense.
Both of these two Institutions were brought to Berbice by the PPP Government.
Mark Lyte is married to an East Indian woman but still display racist attitude.
People of Berbice knows about Mark Lyte evil ways and corrupt lifestyle when he was a senior master at JC Chandisingh Secondary School, but he hides under the cloak of a Pastor.
So Mr. Lyte come of your hypocrisy!!
I was making a comment on the issues concerning teachers,and suddenly,the page was scrolled up without my help.If Inews is responsible for this act,why have this column,Leave a Comment?it doesn`t make sense.
Who is this Mark Lyte trying to make a fool? By saying that it is not an election gimmick, he is only lying to himself and the teachers across the country. When did he realise that the “debunching” payment was not going to be honoured? Why did he wait until election are just a few days away then announced industrial action and barefacedly declared that it is not an election gimmick?
It would be interesting to see the support that this action would get outside of Georgetown and its immediate surrounding areas. Mr Lyte should do himself and the GTU the honour and resign immediately should this cynical industrial action failed to get country wide support