— Health Minister

AMIDST criticism from the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) that the year-end bonus is not adequate, Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, posited that health workers are generally very happy with the two-week bonus announced by President Irfaan Ali.

At a recent ceremony, President Ali said, “Healthcare professionals will get two weeks equivalent bonus pay before the end of the year.” He explained that this bonus will be for all health workers who, in this case, will be classified as frontline workers.

In an invited comment on Monday, Minister Anthony affirmed, “A lot of the health workers that I have spoken to are very happy that they are getting two weeks of their salary that really is tax-free and they are really happy to benefit from that bonus.”

On Sunday, the Guyana Chronicle reported that healthcare workers were happy that they are receiving a bonus- though some of them also contended that a larger bonus could have been given since they have been working amidst a global pandemic since March.

Following the President’s announcement, the GPSU said this decision was “arbitrary”, given that it was a decision made without the full input of the union. Through a statement issued to the media, the GPSU also highlighted the challenges the workers have been facing since March. The GPSU contended that a bonus could not substitute a risk allowance and posited that the bonus should be at least one month’s tax free salary.

But on Monday, when questioned about the stance of the GPSU, the Health Minister said, “I don’t know, maybe the union is out-of-sync with its membership but generally, I think a lot of people are quite happy.”

He also emphasised that the Government was very happy to provide the bonus to the healthcare workers, recognising the good work that they do.

In September, many healthcare workers staged protests in order to be reclassified as frontline workers and to receive compensation and benefits due to the service they were providing amidst the pandemic. The GPSU and the Government have been negotiating these concerns, but no definitive, mutually agreed upon decision has been reported as yet.