President Irfaan Ali today announced salary adjustments for members of the Disciplined Services.
A statement by the President follows:
My Fellow Guyanese:
You would recall that, last week, when I announced the 8 percent across-the-board salary increase payable to public sector employees for 2022, I also indicated that I would be making subsequent announcements regarding a first phase of additional adjustments to the salaries payable to selected categories of employees such as members of the disciplined services.
In determining these adjustments, my Government was especially mindful of the need to resolve anomalies and disparities across the various services, and across comparable positions, as well as to take account of differentiated levels of experience across individuals within certain bands. We were also mindful of the need to ensure that we improve our competitiveness particularly at the entry level, so that our disciplined services continue to be an attractive employment prospect for our young men and women.
Accordingly, I am now pleased to announce the following adjustments to the salaries payable to specified positions within the joint services. It is important to note that these announcements are on top or in addition to the 8 percent across-the-board increase already announced. These additional adjustments will take effect from 1st January 2023.
Just before I go into the announcements, 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 of 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. This first phase of adjustment will be followed by other categories.
Today we will be focusing primarily on the Joint Services. I, therefore, wish to make the following announcements :
GUYANA POLICE FORCE
· 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. So for Constables, the adjustments that will be made 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 where they were.
· 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 $95,000. This represents a 12.6 percent increase on the current minimum salary ; that is in addition to the 8$ already announced to Neighbourhood Policeman/Policewoman.
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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 Officer 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 Officer 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 percent 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 percent 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.
My Fellow Guyanese:
These revisions to the salaries of the members of the Disciplined Services will benefit an estimated 8000 persons, and will increase the disposable incomes of our men and women in uniform by over $1 billion annually. This represents the latest instalment of my Government’s unwavering commitment to continue to improve the working conditions of our employees in the public sector and, indeed, of all Guyanese.
As I said, over the course of this week, will continue to make announcements in relation to different categories of workers. I wish now to have a few words with our men and women in uniform.
These salary adjustments come with great costs to the Treasury. We expect you to honour these adjustments with dignity; with hard work; with accountability; with transparency. And we expect you to perform at all times at the highest level. We expect you to deliver a better service to the people of our country.
Things will only get better. Our country and conditions under which you live will only get better. I assure you of this. Under this People’s Progressive Party Civic government you can be assured of a Guyana that will get better, that will grow faster and will deliver better to every single Guyanese, every single family.
You can be assured of a government that is committed to the upliftment of families the; upliftment of the public service; the upliftment of our farmers; the upliftment of our sugar industry; the upliftment of every single region and every single family.
This is a government that believes in bringing our people together, believes in national unity. This is a government that can publicly state anywhere and anytime, its fundamental principle of building a Guyana for all, and not an opportunistic narrative used by a select few to peddle their own propaganda and narrative.
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.