PPP still to decide on whether its MPs will accept increases

According to the General Secretary, the criticism on the increases has dealt a devastating blow to the much touted “good life” promised by the APNU+AFC coalition, adding that "in effect, implementation of the salary increase will result in the working people paying for it through their noses."

PPP still to decide on whether its MPs will accept increases

While it has been welcoming criticism thrown at the government over its move to increase the salaries for government ministers and parliamentarians, the opposition People’s Progressive Party is still to decide whether its Members of Parliament will accept the increases.

At a Monday morning press conference, PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee told reporters that the issue will be dealt with at the parliamentary level by the members of the party who are sitting members of the Parliament.

The National Assembly comes out of recess this week.

Mr. Rohee said while the PPP is still to decide on whether to accept the increases, it has been paying attention to all the criticism being leveled at the government.

Rohee said “the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) welcomes the nationwide rejection of the selfish and self-serving salary increase awarded to Ministers of the Granger-led APNU+AFC coalition administration.”

According to the General Secretary, the criticism on the increases has dealt a devastating blow to the much touted “good life” promised by the APNU+AFC coalition, adding that “in effect, implementation of the salary increase will result in the working people paying for it through their noses.”

Over the weekend, President David Granger broke his silence on the salary increases for his Ministers of Government and all Parliamentarians and he defended the decision as one that the Guyanese people will eventually realize was the right decision.

Amidst a backlash from the public, the trade unions and several political analysts and rights organizations, the government has found itself being forced to defend the 10% to 50% increases for its Ministers.

The trade unions have criticized the move as coming too soon after the coalition got into government. But speaking on the weekly “Public Interest” tv show, the President said it is a decision to ensure efficiency and it was not done recklessly.

“As far as the salary increases are concerned, we had to make some choices, and choices were made in order to assure the public of the efficiency and commitment of the Ministers … It was a difficult choice in the first place. It was not something that we did recklessly. We had to consider all of the options and in the final analysis we felt that this was the best means of ensuring that the work of the Cabinet would continue”, the President said.

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