— minimum wage for public servants increased to $60,000

FOURTEEN thousand public servants are in line to benefit from a $3.5B payout for 2017 as the government moves to increase their wages and salaries, while increasing the minimum wage to $60,000.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon made the announcement while addressing reporters at the Ministry of the Presidency on Thursday.

Backed by Permanent Secretary of the Department of Public Service, Reginald Brotherson, the minister of state explained that based on the need to include the increases in the 2018 National Budget, a final offer for wages and salaries for public servants was made to the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).

In addition to the new minimum wage, which has been set at 60,000 moving up from 55,555, Minister Harmon disclosed that public servants earning between $55,555 and $99,999 would receive an increase of eight per cent, while a six per cent increase has been approved for persons earning $100,000 to $299,999.

Public servants who earn between $300,000 and $499,999 will receive a five per cent increase while those earning $500,000 to $699,999 are in line to receive a four per cent increase.

Those making $700,000 to $799,999 will receive a two per cent increase. For those earning $800,000 to $1M, a 0.5 per cent increase has been offered.

Public servants working for more than $1M will not receive an increase.

Brotherson disclosed that the increases for 2017 will total $3.5B and would be paid retroactive to public servants from January 2017-December 2017.

According to the permanent secretary, the economists at the Ministry of Finance proposed the increases after taking into account the state of the country’s economy and its ability to sustain any increases for public servants.

He said during the course of the negotiation, the GPSU was of the opinion that 2016 negotiation for 2016 was incomplete although government has long made it clear that a final offer was given in 2016.

“We have put this offer on the table and that is government’s final offer with respect to 2017 for wages and salaries,” he added while making reference to the 2017 increases for wages and salaries.

Thursday’s announcement, Brotherson noted should benefit over 14,000 public servants. It noted too that since entering office, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government has transitioned just about 4,000 contract employees into the Public Service.

According to Brotherson, negotiations for the 2017 increases commenced under a month, and for government, the time allotted was sufficient for the negotiations.