-Gov’t announces bonus for public servants

PUBLIC servants here will have more cash in hand this Christmas. Finance Minister Winston Jordan has announced payment of a one-off, tax-free bonus of $25,000 to all employees of ministries, departments and regions who are earning less than $500,000 per month.

Minister Jordan made the announcement on Friday as he wrapped up the debate on his 250-billion-dollar National Budget for 2017, presented in the National Assembly a week earlier. “We ask all Guyanese to be patient with us as we clear a path to the good life. The future is indeed bright!” he told the House while addressing Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland.

This one-off, tax-free bonus comes approximately two months after the salary increases of one to 10 per cent took effect for public servants. As of October 1, 2016, public servants earning $99,000 or less began benefiting from a 10 per cent increase; while persons earning between $100,000 and $299,000 were offered six per cent increase; public servants earning between $300,000 and $799,000 have been offered five per cent increase; those earning between $800,000 and $999,000 have been offered two per cent increase; and those earning more than $1M have been offered one per cent salary increase.

In wrapping up the debates, Minister Jordan rebuked the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for being highly critical of, and pessimistic about, the budget. He said the contributions of the Opposition Members of Parliament have been confusing, disjointed, or simply and blatantly erroneous.

“Adopting scaremongering tactics akin to Chicken Licken, theirs was a litany of feeble laments strung together one after the other in an incoherent fashion. In a cult-like manner, all of them ended their presentations with a demand/plea for the Coalition Government to withdraw the Budget,” the Finance Minister told the House.

He said what was truly lamentable, pitiable and laughable was Opposition Leader Bharat Jagdeo portraying himself as the Champion of the Poor.
“It is said that only those who feel it know it. So how can an individual swimming in luxury be able to know, feel and emphatise with the poor?” Minister Jordan asked as he pointed to the former president’s earnings before and after demitting office.

“Mindful of the General Elections that were scheduled in 2006, and uncertain about his political future, then President Jagdeo, now the Honourable Opposition Leader, caused to be introduced and passed the Ex-Presidents Pension Bill in 2004. The Bill was signed into law the same year by Jagdeo. Jagdeo’s salary in 2006 was $223,783, which would have given him a pension of $195,810. Having won the elections in 2006, Jagdeo set about fortifying himself financially,” the Minister of Finance pointed out.

He added that between 2006 and 2011, Jagdeo’s salary increased from $223,783 to $1,304,503, or nearly 500 per cent. It was noted that during that period, the minimum wage increased from $26,069 to $35,657, or a paltry 37 per cent in five years.

“In just 7.5 months, this Government increased the minimum wage by that same percentage: from $42,703 to $55, 000,” Minister Jordan said, as he compared the increases offered to public servants by the PPP Government and this current Administration.

Minister Jordan said that based on the PPP performance during their 23 years in office, it is clear that they have no guiding, coherent vision for the future — no concrete plans for achieving better economic and social outcomes for our citizens.