By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Hundreds of public servants have not been paid since April and the administration has failed to give a clear indication when this situation will be remedied.
Among the livelihood of those affected are employees at the Office of the President (O.P) and staff at the Government Information Agency (GINA), consequent to the reduction of the National 2014 Budget.
In an invited comment, Secretary to the Cabinet Dr. Roger Luncheon assured that the government is not “sitting idly, talking about what to do” while the welfare of citizens are affected.
“We will make the necessary intervention to ensure that this period of unavailable funding is short-lived,” he assured.
Dr. Luncheon further explained that buttress by the constitution and recent Court rulings on the matter of budget cuts, Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh is expected to provide a timely response to ensure that this denial is short-lived.
The Cabinet Secretary had previously noted that the imminent arrival of the salary date for the month of May in the Public Service has with stark clarity, brought home the full impact of the 2014 Appropriation Act, which was passed in the Parliament subsequent to the $37.4B cut from the $220B National budget.
He predicted then that the impact would no doubt take its toll on the livelihoods of the affected workers, particularly those at the Office of the President and its subventions agencies.
He explained that the impact is such that it has not only threatened the discharge of the constitutional functions of the President, but livelihoods of many public officers as well. Many of these officers were appointed by the Public Service Commission to pensionable posts.
According to Dr Luncheon, the intellectual authors of the 2014 Appropriation Act need to be reminded that for these workers, the said Act may be seen as a denial of their constitutional rights.
You see, you’re copying the wrong things from America. Do you think the US government can make an announcement like that? People, forget the “trimmings” and the “sh%^ you see on American TV. That’s not the real America, getting paid for working, and holding the government accountable are the things you need to copy.
AHA! how much is anyone willing to guess that Roger Luncheon, Ramotar, Granger and all the others were paid though!