Pres. Granger awaiting Finance Minister’s advice on Christmas bonus

DPI, Guyana, Wednesday, November 6, 2019

His Excellency, President David Granger, is awaiting advice from Minister of Finance, Hon. Winston Jordan on the availability of funds in the public coffers, to pay year-end bonuses to public servants.

Today, the Head of State said a pronouncement on the topic could not be made without the advice of his Finance Minister.

“I am not saying no, but after the next Cabinet, the Minister of Finance will be able to make an announcement on that matter,” he told journalists on the sidelines of accreditation ceremonies at the State House.

He also reminded that his government is in an “interim administration mode” as the ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the December 21, 2018 vote in the National Assembly, has restricted the administration from embarking on expenditures or agreements which are likely to “collide with the convention of an interim administration.”

“We have accepted that we are an interim government and I, apart for my health, I have not travelled to any international conferences for over a year and we have not entered into any major agreement,” the Head of State said.

Since coming into office in 2015, the Coalition Government has been providing either bonuses or retroactive salary increases. In 2015, public servants were paid $50,000. The following year, they received $25,000. In 2017 and 2018, public servants received retroactive salary increases.