The Government Teachers’ Union (GTU) is calling on the government to get its act together over its decision to implement the next Pay Research Bureau (PRB) report from 2022.
Meeting the press on Monday at the GTU headquarters in Port Louis, the President of the teachers’ union, Vinod Seegum, described the government’s decision as a blow to the heads of civil servants.
He had to point out that it was agreed that the next report would be implemented from January 2020 because it was from this date that the government had decided to grant a PRB Allowance of Rs 1,000 to civil servants for the delay in implementing the next report. This decision of the government will put in question the aspirations of many civil servants who had postponed the Vocation leave to enjoy the benefits of the next. This decision also delays the adjustment of the pension of civil servants who have retired. For the president of the GTU, this report must be applied retroactively from January 2020. Several formulas can be used for this report to be applied retroactively. He had to mention the Treasury Bonds formula.
Regarding the school situation, he suggested that the Ministry of Education should make good use of the two weeks of school vacations that are coming up at the primary level to disinfect the schools. He hopes that for the next school year, the number of school days will be increased to five days instead of three days a week as it is currently the case due to Covid-19. The GTU president also said that the next general assembly of the union will be called to appoint a new president. He said he wishes the government would remove the 50-person restriction for a rally so the GTU can hold its next general meeting. “I don’t want to be a president for life for the GTU,” he stressed.
