GPSU not budging

THE GUYANA PUBLIC SERVICE UNION (GPSU) IS NOT BUDGING from its repeated
public position that citizens must not be vaccinated against their will.
“Under no circumstance should anyone be threatened or forced to be vaccinated,” the GPSU said
at a recent press conference.
The workers representative said nevertheless, it “supports the vaccination process which is
confined to vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and encourages
citizens to be vaccinated accordingly. The GPSU is of the firm position that vaccines must only
be administered to persons who of their own free will, agreed to be vaccinated.”
GPSU is at loggerheads with the Irfaan Ali administration over its forced vaccination demands
resulting in lockouts of unvaccinated state employees from their jobs and uninoculated citizens
from accessing government services.
“The GPSU strongly condemns the Government of Guyana’s conduct in pressuring and or
demanding that persons be vaccinated, and denying public sector workers from carry out their
jobs by locking them out. The GPSU also strongly condemns the use of the police force to
remove public sector workers from their legitimate places of employment because they were not
vaccinated,” the union said.
The GPSU wants the Commissioner of Police “to cease this practice immediately. The members
of the police force must only be used for legitimate law enforcement purposes and not as a
political force at the whim and fancy of members of the political regime,” the Union cautioned.
Vaccinated employees should continue to wear masks, maintain physical distancing, sanitise and
wash their hands, GPSU said. It called for rotation of employees at work, provision of adequate
personal protective equipment (PPEs) to healthcare workers, and maintained the government
must pick up the tab for mandatory COVID-19 tests it demands unvaccinated workers undergo.
The GPSU demanded the government rescind the Gazette Order of July 29, 2021 with Covid-19
Emergency Measures.

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“The GPSU views the order as irregular and an abuse of authority (and) calls for an engagement
of all stakeholders to arrive at a consensus position that confirms to the Laws of Guyana and to
uphold the Constitutional Rights of citizens. Such an approach would have the GPSU’s support
and backing,” the union said.
It blamed the government’s policies for sowing additional discord in the multi-racial society,
segmented further by the March 2020 controversial polls.
“The approach of the Government in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis is contributing to more
division. In effect, the Covid-19 environment is contributing to much more unity – it is absurd
that a matter which involves one’s life, such an arrogant approach is taken to deny them the right
even to express their feelings and make freely, such decisions. The fact is that people, all over
the country and worldwide, are scared and their concerns must not be ignored,” the Union
counselled. “For over two years, improvements in conditions of service have not been addressed.
While massive sums accrued through their hard work are being squandered in favour of political
preferences and gimmicks, front line workers who are at risk and were led to believe that they
would be paid a risk allowance for taking on the challenge of being in the vanguard fighting the
Covid-19 infections and keeping people alive, at grave risk to themselves.”
“These workers were deceived and are being bullied to risk their lives to continue to
function in this deadly environment,” the union complained.