It is expected that after studying the report, Labour Minister, Dr. Dale Bisnauth will make specific recommendations on the way forward, officials said.

The two sides have failed to agree on the terms of resumption to end the month-long strike called by the GTU to back demands for increased salaries and improved working conditions for teachers.

Immediate Past President of the GTU, Mr. Lance Baptiste, told the Chronicle yesterday that the union is satisfied with the manner in which the Advisory Committee has executed its work. He added that both sides have submitted the documents and information requested by the committee, and they have agreed to go back to their constituents to see if there has been any change in thinking to come to a compromise regarding their respective positions on the strike.

According to Baptiste the most contentious issue is the question of a closure of the agreement on salaries for 2002. He told this newspaper that the GTU is not insisting on arbitration to resolve the issue of 2002, but wants the salaries of those teachers at the "bottom of the ladder" to be raised to the minimum salary comparable to that paid to a public servant.

This is one of the major issues hindering the achievement of an agreement, he said.

Baptiste said the union feels it is morally wrong for those teachers to be earning less than that of a cleaner or someone in a similar position. He observed that those teachers represent a significant proportion of the teaching profession numbering about 2,000 or about 20 per cent.

He said the GTU would be happy to resolve the issue of 2002 so that discussions on 2003 could proceed.

Asked if the protest march on Tuesday would be continued daily, Baptiste replied in the negative explaining that protests would be carried out as the union thinks necessary.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mr. Hydar Ally confirmed that the talks to break the deadlock between the two sides are still "stalemated" mainly because of their differing positions on the salary issue for 2002.

Regarding the recommendations of the Minister of Labour that will emerge out of the report of the Advisory Committee, Ally declined to say whether these would be binding on both sides, but noted that the proposals would be influential to the outcome of the impasse.

He also reiterated that in accordance with normal industrial practice deductions from the salaries of teachers who were on strike would be made at the end of this month.

Following the failure of the Ministry of Education and the GTU to reach agreement on the strike, which was called by the union from March 6, the Ministry of Labour was requested to intervene in attempt to break the deadlock. Consequently, the ministry established an Advisory Committee, comprising former Pro-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr. Martin Boodhoo; Industrial Relations Officer of the Guyana Sugar Corporation, Mr. Francis Carryl; and Bursar of the University of Guyana, Mr. John Seeram.