The opposition, People’s National Congress Reform has hammered the across the board 10% salary increase for public servants as giving more to the wealthy while giving less to the poor.

The party stated that those at the top end of the scale will be seeing a far bigger retroactive pay cheque than those at the bottom, further widening the pay gap.

The PNCR said the PPP Government needs to end the practice of giving “large increases to themselves while giving a pittance to workers”.

“Ministers of Government, with a basic salary currently at $1,070,000 will get $107,000 a month, retroactive to January 1, 2024, which is an astounding $1,284,000. PPP ministers and super salaried family, friends and favourites will therefore receive a pay cheque for December of $2,354,000! On the other hand, a level 1 public servant will receive a tiny increase of $10,000 per month, or $120,000 retroactive to January 1, 2024. What this means is that the PPP elite, their friends, families and favourites will be paid in one month nearly as much as what a typical worker will be paid for the full year. This is highway robbery”, the party noted.

The party reminded that when it was in Government as part of the APNU+AFC Coalition, larger increases were given to those at the lower levels of income.

The Opposition party said low level public servants should have been given a significant increase, and it is promising a 35% graduated salary increase for public servants if it is returned to office.

“It is important also to note that this increase must be seen in the context of persistent inflation in Guyana, with prices rising at greater than 3% this year if the government’s own statistics are to be believed. We continue to doubt the veracity of these statistics, as well as their appropriateness, as any Guyanese can tell you how quickly prices continue to rise at the market. A 10% increase, given this daily struggle, is next to nothing. Only the PPP elite, their families, friends, and favourites believe there is no cost-of-living crisis”, the party noted.

Former Finance Minister under the APNU+AFC Government, Winston Jordan, stated today that the Government needs to seriously address where it wants salaries to be and how to get there in terms of the kinds of increases that will allow salaries to remain competitive with the oil industry, the private sector as a whole, and with other regional countries.

The Guyana Public Service Union, which signed a two-year salary increase agreement with the Government has said while the agreement may not be ideal, it is a step in the right direction.

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