20,000 public servants to benefit from 2021 salary increase

Some 20,000 public servants will benefit from the seven per cent salary increase announced on
Thursday, by Senior Finance Minister, Dr Ashnie Singh. Sngh mad ths disvkiyre durigan hetvew
“When you look at it holistically, government is investing heavily in the public sector and it is
because the government has recognised that public servants are working very hard to keep the
machine of government running,” Dr Singh said,
The increase in salaries is coupled with a $400 M bonus for frontline workers. Minister Parag
said since taking office, the government has been making significant investments in the country
despite a pandemic. She noted that while a large number of persons were laid off around the
world, in Guyana, public servants continued to receive their salaries. “Government has tried its
utmost best to maintain a level of humanity in terms of having its public sector be stable. And
today, we are seeing that the government is again investing in its country by giving a seven per
cent increase and a $400 million that will go towards the pay-out for the frontline workers,”
Minister Parag explained.
She noted that government is delivering on its manifesto promises, adding that their investment
in the public sector does not end with the salary increase. Parag said that government will
continue to work to improve the lives of all Guyanese. Additionally, it was announced that the
government will be rectifying the irregulrities in salary scales across positions in the public
sector. Provisions for that will be made in budget 2022. The public service minister said that
government has heard the cries of public servants and are acting on them. “Government is
assessing the availability of funds to now bring a structure to that disparity where persons in like
post with like qualifications will be brought on the same level… we want to put a structure in
place that will bring persons in like positions on the same level,” Parag declared.
She added that the announcement of the measures adds to what government has been doing since
taking office, to improve the lives of all Guyanese. The COVID-19 cash grant of $25,000 per
household, year-end bonuses in December 2020 to frontline workers and disciplined services, an
increase in old age pension and public assistance along with the reversal of punitive taxes are just
a few to mention.