One-month tax-free salary announced by President for joint services

President Irfaan Ali announced a one month’s tax-free bonus salary for the joint services on
Wednesday. He made this announcement during the Guyana Defence Force’s annual Christmas
Lunch at Base Camp Ayanganna.
“I had promised that we will return your bonus, and last year, we returned two weeks bonus. This
year, we are returning the full month, tax-free bonus to you,” Ali said.
Ali noted that the joint services will be receiving this one month’s tax-free bonus, in addition to
the retroactive 7% increase in their wages and salaries. Ali who is the Commander in Chief, said
that they deserve the payout because of how hard the joint services work in service to their
country. “We are not returning the one-month tax free bonus for any other reason, but because
you deserve it, because you worked hard for it,” he stressed.
He continued, “And for those in the society who believe you can just take things away, who
believe that you can take things away from the soldiers, I challenge them to go and spend a year
in some of the locations and live the life you do in protection of your country, and then they will
know why you deserve it.” The President’s announcement was received by boisterous applause.
He declared that the Government, for the Christmas season, has provided payouts to many.
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh had in November, announced an across-the-board increase of
7 per cent to public servants, teachers, members of the disciplined services, constitutional office
holders, as well as government pensioners.
Meanwhile, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, earlier this week, announced that the government
decided to extend this increase to sugar workers. The President on Tuesday had announced a
two-week tax-free bonus for all health workers, due to the tremendous effort they placed into
battling the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.