Dear Editor,
Today, the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) proudly commemorates another anniversary of its Race Relations, Equality and Human Rights Committee, launched by the Late Mrs. Janet Jagan, former Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on 9th June 1997 pursuant to Rule 20(xii) of the GPSU Rules.
For twenty-nine years, the Committee served as a guardian of equality, justice, and human dignity, championing the rights of workers and promoting respect for human rights throughout Guyana. The Rules of the Union provide that the Committee is responsible for maintaining good relations among the diverse ethnic groups within the Union, promoting good governance, justice, fair play, and respect for civil and human rights, and investigating allegations of discrimination, victimisation, intolerance, and abuse.
This mandate remains as relevant today as it was in 1997. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The Committee’s work is not merely administrative; it is central to ensuring that every worker is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.
Throughout its existence, the Committee has advocated for equal opportunity, fair treatment, decent working conditions, and social justice. It has also supported efforts to address inequalities experienced by vulnerable groups, including Indigenous communities, persons with disabilities, and those living in rural and hinterland regions. Today, new challenges continue to confront us, including attacks on Public Servants through social media, disparities in benefits and opportunities within the public sector, underemployment, and the erosion of merit-based systems. These issues undermine fairness, transparency, and confidence in public institutions. We must also recognise that artificial intelligence, rapid industrialization, and the shift toward a green economy, while vital for development, can also increase workplace inequality if not guided by fairness and inclusion. These changes may alter job structures, displace traditional roles, and concentrate opportunities among those with greater skills or access to training.
Without strong reskilling programmes and fair transition support, vulnerable workers risk being left behind. Progress must therefore remain just and inclusive, ensuring that development expands dignity and opportunity rather than deepening inequality. The increasing prevalence of mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions—including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia, learning and communication disorders, and other behavioural and cognitive conditions—are also affecting the children of far too many public servants, and the rising concerns about violence and sexual abuse against children, require greater compassion and stronger support systems. It requires parents to be given more opportunities to be in the lives of their children, and less physical time in the workplace. The Union has noted an increase in complaints from Public Servants who are denied reasonable flexibility to care for children and family members with special needs. The workplace must also evolve to recognise these realities.
As former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated, “Human rights are the foundation of human existence and co-existence.” The protection of workers must therefore include the protection of families. This Committee proudly supported the enactment of the Prevention of Discrimination Act of 1997. Since then, Guyana has made important progress in advancing equality and inclusion. However, our work remains unfinished.
As a Union committed to human rights and equality, we reaffirm that discrimination has no place in our workplaces or our society. This includes discrimination against persons because of their sexual orientation. A just society is one in which every citizen enjoys equal rights and equal protection, regardless.
We remain committed to ensuring that all persons—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, geographic origin, are treated with dignity and respect. This commitment reflects the principle contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”
This anniversary also follows closely on the heels of another important milestone. Yesterday, the GPSU celebrated 103 years of organised public sector representation. Since the registration of the British Guiana Civil Service Association in 1923, generations of public servants have fought to secure fairness, dignity, and respect for workers.
Today, new challenges continue to confront us, including attacks on public servants through social media, disparities in benefits and opportunities within the public sector, underemployment, and the erosion of merit-based systems. These issues undermine fairness, transparency, and confidence in public institutions.
The Race Relations, Equality and Human Rights Committee must continue to advocate for a Guyana where opportunity is not determined by race, geography, social status, gender, or political affiliation; where freedom of expression is protected; and where every citizen can participate fully in national development.
The GPSU will continue to advocate for equal pay for work of equal value, a living wage for all Guyanese, stronger social protections, affordable childcare, comprehensive insurance coverage for workers and their families, improved mental health support, and greater access to digital technology in rural and hinterland communities.
As Nelson Mandela observed, “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.” Economic justice, social justice, and human rights are inseparable.
As Guyana develops, we must ensure that prosperity is shared and that no one is left behind. As Eleanor Roosevelt famously stated, “Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home.” It is in our workplaces, communities, and institutions that equality and justice must first be realised.
As we commemorate this anniversary, let us renew our commitment to building a Guyana where justice is not a privilege but a right; where equality is not an aspiration but a reality; and where every worker is treated with dignity and respect.
On behalf of the Executive Council of the Guyana Public Service Union, I extend a Happy Anniversary to the Committee and all Members of the Guyana Public Service Union as together we forge ahead in unity of purpose in defence of all.