RESPONDING to the opposition’s claims that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is not doing enough to support public servants, PPP General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has highlighted that the wages for these workers will amount to $227 billion by next year, reflecting an 80 per cent increase over five years.

Jagdeo, during his weekly press conference at the PPP’s Freedom House, Georgetown headquarters, highlighted the substantial growth in public sector wages since the PPP was elected to office in 2020.

Referencing the achievements up to this year, he noted that the sum has increased from $126.8 billion in 2020 to $210.7 billion in 2024.

Jagdeo said that he has taken note of the ‘hysteric reactions’ coming out of the Peoples National Congress (PNC) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), and he believes the ‘unfounded’ criticisms are politically aimed at generating unrest among public servants.

However, in defending the government’s track record, Jagdeo gave a detailed analysis, highlighting the significance of the recent 10 per cent increase in salaries and incentives being paid to the public sector.

He revealed that the Central Government’s wage bill in 2020 was $71.8 billion, and that now in 2024 it stands at $121.4 billion with the 10 per cent increase.

“That’s a growth of $49. 6 billion more per year for only those who work in Central Government,” Dr. Jagdeo asserted.

Meanwhile, in public enterprises, the wage bill stood at $16.1 billion in 2020, and it’s now $24 billion which now reflects a $7.9 billion, or 49 per cent increase in wages.

Further, regarding statutory bodies, the wage bill in 2020 was $38.9 billion, in 2024 and it’s now $65.2 billion. This brings the entirety of the public sector’s wage bill from $126.8 billion in 2020 to $210.7 billion in 2024.

Jagdeo said: “That means it’s $83.9 billion more per year that the public sector is currently getting from the Government of Guyana in the past four years that we’ve been in office. So, this is a significant increase means that it is an increase of 66 per cent.”

The PPP General Secretary rejected claims from opposition parties that the wage increases were politically motivated and designed to “buy votes”.

He argued that these increases, which include not only salary hikes but also a range of allowances and benefits, were part of the government’s broader effort to improve the lives of public servants and promote economic development.

Jagdeo further disclosed that those public servants whose respective unions have not yet brokered deals with the government will receive the 10 per cent salary increase.

“If we do not have agreements for the rest of the public servants, the 10 per cent will be paid out to those others in the public sector. So, this is something that is a great movement forward; it recognises the role that our public servants play, and it treats them with respect,” the General Secretary said.

It was after talks between the government and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) that President Dr. Irfaan Ali announced a 10 per cent increase in wages in 2024, and an eight per cent for 2025.

The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) also signed a three-year wages and salaries agreement with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) recently, which will see sugar workers receiving a 10 per cent retroactive pay raise in 2024, an eight per cent for 2025, and nine per cent for 2026.

Already, an agreement inked between the government and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) will see educators’ wages increasing  by 10 per cent this year, eight per cent in 2025, and nine per cent in 2026.

The 57 per cent salary increase represents the minimum increase teachers could expect in the period. Given that the government has made various adjustments to allowances, positions on salary scales, and other benefits, many teachers will benefit from increases in excess of 57 per cent.
Several other concessions and incentives were provided for educators.
Meanwhile, despite the opposition’s criticism, which labelled the wage increases as inadequate, Dr. Jagdeo remained firm in his defence, asserting that the government’s actions were in the best interest of public servants and the nation as a whole.