Ahead of Monday’s National Budget presentation, the Guyana Public Service Union today said it has made several proposals to the Government that it hopes will be taken on board to provide a more comfortable standard of living for the country’s public servants.

The GPSU hopes that this year’s Budget will see Public Servants benefitting more. It wants to see adequate provisions to further increase salaries for public servants, adding that it has repeatedly called for the disparities in the salaries in the public service to be addressed.

“Therefore, the Union calls on the Government of Guyana to allocate adequate funds in the 2024 National Budget to undertake the rationalization of these salary grades retroactive to the year 2020. Further, the Union insists that increases in remuneration should also take into consideration the inadequacy of wages, salaries and allowances. In comparing the remuneration of Guyanese Public Servants as against Public Servants throughout the Caricom States, there is grave disparity in pay, well to the disadvantage of the Guyanese Public Servants,” the GPSU submitted. 

Further, the GPSU has asked the Government to revamp the country’s tax system, proposing that the Income Tax Threshold be increased to $200,000 per month or one-third of the individual income which is higher.

The Public Sector workers union further proposed that the income tax rate be further reduced to 10% on the first taxable $200,000 and 20% on the balance of taxable income, instead of the current methodology of 28% and 40%.

The GPSU also asked the government for a non-taxable allowance of seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.00) per month for dependents, a non-taxable allowance of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) per month for students, who are dependents and are pursuing tertiary level education (eg. University of Guyana, Guyana School of Agriculture, Guyana Technical Institute etc.), and a reduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT) to six percent (6%).

Additionally, the GPSU said there should be a reduction of taxes on building supplies to assist low-income earners to build their own homes and provision should be made for low interest loans for Public Servants to acquire lands and to build their own homes.

The Union said risk allowances for workers must be given priority at some agencies and focus should also be placed on the working conditions of Public Servants in the various regions.

Related posts:

AFC calls on Government to adjust income tax threshold to ease cost of living burden GPSU writes President seeking salary increase for public servants Budget 2019: Old Age Pension and Public Assistance increase by $1000; Tax Threshold also sees increase Government’s salary increase imposition is “disrespectful” -GPSU Vice President