–10 per cent pay increase in 2024, eight in 2025; new allowances for academic qualifications, among other benefits
–as part of multi-year agreement between gov’t, GPSU

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali, on Tuesday announced a two-year pay increase for public servants, starting with a 10 per cent salary hike retroactive to January, 2024 and an additional eight per cent increase in 2025, as part of a comprehensive package aimed at improving wages and benefits.
The Head of State made this announcement at the annual Police Christmas Breakfast at the Police Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary.
This is being delivered through an agreement between the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).
The signed agreement ensures a 10 per cent salary increase for all public servants in 2024, retroactive to January 1. Another eight per cent increase will follow in 2025, pushing the overall salary growth to 46 per cent since 2021.
“The Government of Guyana understands that prosperity must come at every level, and at every band in the Public Service, intervention must be made. And as we committed in our manifesto, and we committed as a government, we’ll make the necessary adjustment to always have that parity in the system,” President Ali reaffirmed.

REDUCING WAGE DISPARITIES
Addressing wage disparities, the agreement includes General Schedule (GS) pay scale adjustments effective July 1, 2024.
Public servants in GS: 1-6 with a minimum of four years in their current scale will move to the midpoint of that scale, receiving raises of up to 13 per cent. Those with eight years of service will be advanced to the maximum of their scale, with increases of up to 26 per cent.
Additionally, public servants in GS: 7-8 who have completed four years in their current scale will receive monthly adjustments equivalent to the difference between the minimum and midpoint of GS: 6, resulting in raises of up to 11 per cent.
“We are making these adjustments to ensure that salary disparities are addressed fairly across the entire Public Service,” President Ali said.

To encourage continued education and professional growth, the government will introduce qualification allowances effective January 1, 2025: $15,000 monthly for ACCA certification holders, $22,000 monthly for those with a Master degree and $32,000 monthly for Doctoral degree holders
According to the Head of State, this initiative is key in keeping with government’s commitment of incentivising education, incentivising training and development for human capital.

Several key allowances will also see substantial increases, reflecting the administration’s commitment to improving living and working conditions:
Uniform Allowance: an annual increase of $5,000 for health workers and $10,000 for other public servants.
Housing Allowance: $35,000 monthly for public servants posted away from home.

Station Allowance: $8,000 monthly for employees working in remote riverine and hinterland areas.
Risk Allowance: A 50 per cent increase for eligible public servants.
Motor Car and Travel Allowances: Up to a 104 per cent increase.

“These measures are intended to ensure that public servants are recognised and supported in their professional roles,” President Ali said.
According to the signed MoU, the government will grant 100 annual duty-free concessions to nursing staff, prioritising employees with the longest service records and those receiving the benefit for the first time.
In addition, 100 scholarships will be available yearly for undergraduate and postgraduate studies through the University of Guyana or the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).
“This would ensure that our workforce is continuously empowered through academic advancement,” President Ali added.

The agreement was formally signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Public Service, Soyinka Grogan, representing the government, and GPSU’s First Vice President Dawn Gardener.
Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, commended the productive and collaborative nature of the negotiations.
Gardener described the agreement as a “new era” in public service labour relations, highlighting the government’s commitment to improving public servants’ conditions.

According to President Ali, with the agreement in place, public servants across Guyana can expect greater financial stability, enhanced professional development opportunities, and improved working environments.
“This government’s commitment to the people of our country, to every category of the people of our country, is unquestioning[sic]. Our commitment to what we said in a manifesto is not only unquestioned, but has been surpassed in every single instance,” he said.
Earlier this year, teachers benefited from a multi-year agreement between the government and the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), which was finalised after extensive negotiations. Under this agreement, teachers will receive a total salary increase of 27 per cent over three years: 10 per cent in 2024, eight per cent in 2025, and nine per cent in 2026.

Public servants will also benefit from other measures announced recently by the government, including the $100,000 cash grant for all persons above 18 years, a new income tax deduction of $10,000 per child and free tertiary education from January 2025, among other things aimed at improving the lives and livelihoods of all Guyanese.