By Sulayman Waan
Some staffs of the Judiciary which comprises cleaners at the High Court, court clerk, and drivers among others have embarked on an indefinite sit-down strike over poor salary and unapproved allowances.
They said they would not go back to work until their demands are met.
Converging at the High Court premises in Banjul, Pateh Sowe, Senior SN officer told journalists: “We have been writing to our seniors on several occasions but we do not have a fruitful feedback.”
He said after series of their demands from authorities it is only risk allowance that was approved for them, so, “there is nowhere daily wages exist but only in the judiciary. And we want that to stop,” he divulged.
He disclosed that the supporting staffs of the Judiciary are not treated as noble staff compare to their seniors such as Judges and Magistrates.
According to him, in 2009 the office of the President initiated an incentive for grade six and seven salaries while the Ministry of Finance underlined the category of people and cadres that should benefit from that incentive. He therefore asked rhetorically if support staff should benefit from that incentive or not.
Judges and senior staff of the Judiciary allowances are said to have been increased by 100%.
Modou Musa, one of the protesters and member of the judiciary staff association claimed that majority of the staff are paid less than D5,000 per month compared to judges who are receiving between D175,000 and D200,000 monthly.
“Definitely we need changes. We need to see our lives better. We are fighting for that and not only the allowances but let them increase our income because we are also human beings like them. They are not better than us and we are all important in the job, without us they cannot work,” he protested.
Momodou Jallow a driver at Judiciary said “we the drivers do not have an office where to sit whenever we come to work. We always sit in open places. In fact, we have to take breakfast in an open place. This is not good for health, eating in open space could make us to eat dirty food and result in disease.”
Sirra Njie, who is already spending 21 years working at the High Court as a cleaner said: “My salary is D800 and we the cleaners want authorities to increase our payment.”
