–through salary adjustments, reinstatement of tax-free bonuses, scholarship and training, other opportunities over the past five years

SUBSTANTIAL salary increases, the reinstatement of the tax-free bonus and largest police promotion exercise are just a few of numerous initiatives that have transformed the lives of members of the Joint Services over the past five years.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Saturday told Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) residents that his government is committed to strengthening the security sector whilst transforming the lives of those who serve.

The President told the residents that his party is not a “one day” party, and has a long-term plan that seeks to continue transforming the lives of all citizens.
Turning his attention to the Joint Services, Dr. Ali reminded all that his government has improved the salary-scale, issued record-breaking police promotions, and also reinstated what was taken away by the previous coalition administration.

The President said: “…You are seeing that we are doing more and more for you, and we will do more and more for you. And after the last promotion, Norton and others came out, first they criticise it, and when they see how it was embraced, they then said to start calling numbers of what they will do, they will get more bonus.
“But I want our men and women in uniform to know one thing, they never, ever apologise for even taking away what the PPP gave you.”

The Head of State recalled how callous the previous A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration was toward the men and women who were serving the country.

The President said: “…Don’t tell me that I don’t have a duty to call on our hard-working men and women in uniform, because they, too, have a democratic right that they will exercise on the 22nd…when they exercise that democratic right, they must know who stood for them, who stood with them, and who will stand with them to ensure that they have a stronger future.”
In 2015, when APNU+AFC took office, the tax-free year-end bonus, which members of the Joint Services enjoyed, was discontinued.

The annual bonus was an initiative of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) in the early 2000s, and was restored by the PPP/C administration when it assumed office in August 2020.
Members of the Joint Services have also been able to access training and education opportunities, and this has enabled them to build capability, professionalism, and operational unity.
Further, with the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) launched in 2021, fully funded scholarships have been provided for Guyanese citizens- including members of the Joint Services- to pursue online undergraduate certificate, diploma, and degree and postgraduate studies (postgraduate certificate, diploma, master’s and PhDs) in various disciplines.

The academy partners with reputable international universities to offer courses ranging from law, psychology, information technology and business management to health sciences, education, artificial intelligence (AI) and journalism and communication. The programme’s original aim was to award 20,000 scholarships to Guyanese. However, the government has awarded more than 30,000 scholarships under this programme.