Last Updated on Friday, 29 January 2016, 16:53 by Written By Denis Chabrol
Public Servants in Guyana will have to wait a little longer than January 29, to know what increases they will be given if any in 2016.
During the presentation of the 2016 Budget on January 29, Finance Minister Winston Jordan did not announce an increase for public servants – a gross deviation from the norm.
In his address to the House, the Minister indicated that public servants would have to wait until relevant discussions with workers’ unions are complete before any decision is made on salary increases.
“Mr. Speaker, an announcement on salary increases for public servants, for 2016, has to await the conclusion of discussions with the relevant unions,” said Jordan.
He said that despite the obvious disappointment that the public servants will display, it should be clear that the government has their best interest in mind. Jordan is asking for the workers to give collective bargaining a chance to work.
“The Government understands the disappointment this will create among public servants, but wishes to assure them of our commitment to their welfare and advancement. We ask that they give the collective bargaining process an opportunity to work,” said Jordan.
In the 2015 Budget, the majority of public servants were given 5% and 10% increases to their salaries with some increases reaching 25%.
“I wish to announce an increase in the minimum basic salary of each public servant to $50,000, effective July 1, 2015. This translates to a 26.4 percent increase for those still earning the old minimum wage of $39,540 and 17.1 percent for over 4,000 public servants earning the current minimum wage of $42,703,” Jordan stated in 2015.
