GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag has dismissed claims by the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) that the government has failed to respond to the concerns of public servants.
On Monday, the union described the government’s posture as “deliberate, blatant and discriminatory” while alleging that the administration has “refused” to engage the block.
However, Minister Parag denied that was the case.
She said her ministry has “constantly engaged the GPSU, with the last meeting as recently as the 19th of December, [2022], and there has been no official request to meet since”.
Addressing the union’s claim that the administration is ignoring the cost of living issues, Minister Parag said the GPSU failed to recognize all of the initiatives implemented by the government to cushion the effects of the cost of living due to global factors.
At the beginning of 2023, she pointed out that several salary adjustments were brought into effect for two categories of public servants, those in the healthcare sector and members of the joint services.
These increases benefitted 13,000 public service employees. That was in addition to the eight percent salary increase given to all public servants in 2022.
Since taking office, the union had called out the government for failing to appoint the Public Service Commission and the Judicial Services Commission. It claimed that it appears as though those institutions seem to have been politically hijacked.
However, Parag reaffirmed her ministry’s stance on ensuring that suitably qualified persons are employed in the public service without political interference.
“It is rather unfortunate and destructive that every time we are intent on building better relations and acting in good faith, the [GPSU] decides to spin a harmful and divisive narrative,” she said.
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