T.E.S.P.A. is the lawyers’ acronym for the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act. It was passed in 1997 and is one of the most important pieces of legislation in the history of Guyana. Its objective is “to provide for the conditions governing termination of employment and grant of redundancy or severance pay to employees and for matters connected therewith.”
Issues affecting workers confront lawyers, employers and trade...
The National Insurance Scheme which was established by the PNC Government during its term of office was an act of foresight. It has provided a vital safety net for thousands of Guyanese faced with illness or disability arising from accidents during the course of employment. The contributions are burdensome for the lower paid and the benefits are wholly inadequate. But were it not for the NIS, nothing would have been forthcoming. It is to the...
The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) launched its GAWU Labour College last Thursday, built at a cost of $110 million. It was a memorable event. A large cross-section of Guyanese was present – from labour, business and politics – and they joined in welcoming the opening of the school by Senior Counsel, Ashton Chase, erstwhile eminent politician and labour leader. The President of GAWU, Komal Chand, outlined...
Constitutional reform is once again in the air and it may well be an issue in the upcoming election campaign.
The last effort at constitutional reform was made in 1999-2000. The Constitution Reform Commission (CRC) sat for six months, visited all regions of Guyana, received oral and written submissions from individuals, parties and groups and accepted local and overseas expert advice. The Report of the CRC was substantially adopted...
For many years the stringency of the libel laws in Guyana has been the subject of debate. The victims of libel actions have always complained that the inflexibility of the libel laws reduce their capacity to expose wrongdoing of public figures who have duties to the citizens. Our situation was always contrasted with that of the United States where it appeared that politicians could be lawfully criticized with a defamatory vehemence which...
The Conversation Tree is both physical and philosophical. The physical is the tree itself, which has given its name to the road from which it originates at the intersection of the Rupert Craig Highway. It was reputedly first planted by Napleton William King in 1876 to celebrate the birth ...read more
