President announces salary adjustments for joint service workers

President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in keeping with a promise made last week, has announced a series of salary adjustments and increases for workers of the disciplined services.

This is in addition, to the eight per cent across-the-board retroactive salary increase that the head of state recently announced for public service workers.

The announcements of the increases came following consultations and reviews done by a team from the Ministry of Finance, after which recommendations were made to President Ali.

They fulfil commitments made by the President and the PPP/C Government to improve the working conditions of employees in the public sector, and all Guyanese.

“My government has made it very clear that we are committed to the prosperity of every family, to the improvement of the lives of every Guyanese. We are committed to enhancing the welfare of all our people. We are committed in a systemic way, and in a way that allows every single Guyanese to have the best possible future here,” Dr Ali said, prefacing the announcement on Thursday morning.

As per the new salary adjustments:

• Constables will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $94,907 to $102,488. This represents an additional 8 percent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Constable. Additionally, Constables with five to ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $110,000, and those with more than ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $115,000. The adjustments will see constables who have more than 10 years in that rank now earning $115,000, which, in some instances, is almost a $19,000 increase from what was previously earned.

• Lance Corporals will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $108,719 to $115,000. This represents an additional 5.8 percent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Lance Corporal. Additionally, Lance Corporals with five to ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $120,000, and those with more than ten years of experience in that rank will now receive a salary of no less than $125,000.

• Corporals will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $111,327 to $125,000. This represents an additional 12.3 percent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Corporal in addition to the 8% earlier announced. Additionally, Corporals with five to ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $130,000, and those with more than ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $135,000. This is an incredible move for these categories.

• Sergeants will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $128,056 to $140,000. This represents an additional 9.3 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Sergeant. Additionally, Sergeants with five to ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $145,000, and those with more than ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $150,000.

• Inspectors will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $163,712 to $170,000. Additionally, Inspectors with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $175,000.

• Chief Inspectors will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $178,630 to $185,000. Additionally, Chief Inspectors with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $185,000.

• Cadet Officers will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $171,224 to $185,000. This represents an additional 8 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Cadet Officer. Cadet Officers with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $185,000.

• Assistant Superintendents will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $188,978 to $200,000. This represents an additional 5.8 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to an Assistant Superintendent.

• Deputy Superintendents will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $188,978 to $230,000. This represents an additional 21.7 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Deputy Superintendent.

• Superintendents will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $200,299 to $240,000. This represents an additional 19.8 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Superintendent.

• Senior Superintendents will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $296,296 to $320,000. This represents an additional 8 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Senior Superintendent. Additionally, Senior Superintendents with more than 5 years of experience would also benefit from this minimum.

• Assistant Commissioners will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $418,518 to $425,000.

RURAL CONSTABLES AND NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE

• Rural Constables will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $75,203 to $85,000. This represents a 13 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Rural Constable.

• Neighbourhood Policemen/Policewomen will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $84,387 to $95,000. This represents a 12.6 per cent increase on the current minimum salary, in addition to the 8 per cent already announced to Neighbourhood Policemen/Policewomen.

GUYANA FIRE SERVICE

• Firemen/Firewomen with five to ten years of experience will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $102,488 to $110,000. This represents an additional 7.3 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Fireman/Firewoman with five to ten years of experience. Additionally, Firemen/Firewomen with more than ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $115,000.

• Emergency Medical Technicians will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $88,143 to $95,000. This represents an additional 7.8 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to an Emergency Medical Technician. Additionally, Emergency Medical Technicians with five to ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $105,000, and those with more than ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $110,000.

• Leading Firemen/Firewomen will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $122,241 to $130,000. This represents an additional 6.3 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Leading Fireman/Firewoman. Additionally, Leading Firemen/Firewomen with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $130,000.

• Section Leaders will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $154,172 to $174,172. This represents an additional 13 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Section Leader. Additionally, Section Leaders with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $174,172.

• Sub-Officers will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $154,181 to $174,181. This represents an additional 13 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Sub-Officer. Additionally, Sub-Officers with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $174,181.

• Cadet Officers will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $171,938 to $185,000. This represents an additional 7.6 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Cadet Officer. Additionally, Cadet Officers with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $185,000.

• Station Officers will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $251,639 to $260,000. Additionally, Station Officers with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $260,000.

• Divisional Officers will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $337,364 to $345,000.

GUYANA DEFENCE FORCE

• Recruits will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $94,485 to $100,000. This represents an additional 5.8 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Recruit. Additionally, Recruits with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $100,000.

• Privates will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $94,771 to $102,488. This represents an additional 8.1 per cent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Private. Additionally, Privates with five to ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $110,000, and those with more than ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $115,000.

The revisions to the salaries of the members of the disciplined services will benefit an estimated 8,000 persons and will increase their disposable incomes by over $1 billion annually.

The President thanked the workers benefitting from the increase for their service and urged them to honour the adjustments with dignity, hard work, transparency and accountability, and perform to their best at all times.

“These salary adjustments come with great costs to the Treasury… We expect you to deliver a better service to the people of our country,” he said.

He assured that much more is to come under the PPP/C Administration, as it pertains to improving living conditions in Guyana, and promised a Guyana that will ‘get better, grow faster, and deliver better’ to every Guyanese.

“The country we build today will be one in which tomorrow will be brighter. The economy we are building in 2030 and beyond is one we will all be proud to be part of, and one we all will be proud to be engaged in. Thank you for your service, and we look forward to greater and better days ahead,” he said. The increase is the first phase in a series of salary adjustments being made to the salary scales of public service workers and will take effect from January 1, 2023.