Forty-eight employees at the Ministry of Natural Resources and associated agencies have been employed on contract since August 2, 2020, Minister Vickram Bharrat informed the National Assembly yesterday when he responded to questions from opposition Member of Parliament David Patterson.
Of the 48 employees, it was explained that there were 36 Wardens IIs, a Head of Policy Planning, a Natural Resource Specialist, and a Driver and a Personal Assistant, all within the Ministry. There were four Clerks of Land Management, a Civil Engineer, Network Technician, and Field Assistant, at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), and one Management Consultant at the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).
According to the written responses on what are the monthly salaries and benefits of each of the contracted workers, it was stated that the salaries for the Warden II position ranged between $227,720 – 242,521, while the Head of Policy Planning is being paid $593,497 inclusive of an allowance of $24,500, and the Natural Resource Specialist is being paid $768,507 inclusive of an allowance of $26,230. The Driver and Personal Assistant are paid $90,000 inclusive of a $20,000 allowance and $230,000 inclusive of a $30,000 allowance, respectively.
The contracted employees at the GGMC are not paid any allowance. The Clerks of Land Management are paid $126,750 while the Network Technician and Field Assistant are each paid $171,225 with the Civil Engineer being paid $362,415.
The Management Consultant at the GFC is being paid a sum of $888,952 inclusive of a $71,525 allowance.
Patterson had asked the Minister to explain if allowances for the contracted workers were in Budget 2020 and under which line item they were being paid.
In response, Bharrat stated that all of the positions and allowances for the employments were catered for in the 2020 budget and employees under the ministry were all catered for in budget line 2620101; 6116.
However, the employees under the GGMC and the GFC were contracted under other goods and services provided and employment cost: salary and wages.
