-increased public servants’ salaries, wages Jagdeo points out

DESPITE the opposition’s attempt to paint a gloomy picture of Guyana, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has confirmed that this is far from the truth.

More Guyanese are employed, and the quality of life for citizens have been improved, the General Secretary highlighted on Thursday during his weekly news conference at Freedom House, Robb Street.

From 2015-2020, thousands of Guyanese were placed on the breadline under the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration.

While the APNU+AFC’s last term in office left thousands of persons unemployed, the current People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has restored and created in excess of 60,000 jobs since entering office in 2020. This included the creation of part-time jobs which served as an impetus for community growth, where many persons started small businesses, and invested in agriculture, among other things.

The APNU+AFC 2015 general elections campaign manifesto had stated: “The aim of your new government is to create jobs, jobs and more jobs in the shortest time possible. Our young people cannot wait five more years for jobs for which they could be adequately trained and could get better pay and greater job satisfaction.”

However, just one year after being elected to office, then President David Granger was on record as saying: “There is no magic wand. The government cannot provide jobs in the government service, in the police force or the defence force.”

The APNU and its coalition partner, the AFC, however, sent persons home, and did not create employment opportunities, as was evident in the sugar industry.

Under the APNU+AFC administration, sugar workers were begging for their livelihoods to be spared, even going as far as to hold pickets with heartfelt pleas in the scorching sun. However, the then government turned a deaf ear to the cries of those workers.

In 2017, the coalition government announced the closure of several sugar estates across the country, leaving thousands of persons without jobs or sources of income. The move saw four sugar estates being closed, and over 7,000 sugar workers losing their jobs.

While the administration at the time promised retraining and alternative employment for those affected, these never materialise in any meaningful way. Severance payments were delayed for months, deepening the hardships for thousands of families.

MORE DISPOSABLE INCOME

Within five years of the PPP/C’s governance, Dr. Jagdeo said public sector workers are earning $105 billion more per year in wages and salaries.

Earlier this year, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh said public servants will enjoy an additional eight per cent salary increase this year.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali had previously announced that in addition to the 10 per cent paid out in 2024, public servants and teachers will receive an eight per cent raise in 2025.

“Whenever it is paid, it will be retroactive to the 1st of January. Public servants will get the full benefit of the increase effective 1st of January,” the minister said.

Minister Singh explained that the increase is part of a multi-year agreement signed between the government and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).