United States Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch on Tuesday lauded government’s efforts in increasing salaries for health workers and public servants saying that fair wages would help to retain the human resources of this country.
“While slightly unrelated to today’s signing ceremony, I have to congratulate the Government of Guyana also for increasing wages for the health sector workers and public servants recently,” Lynch said, during remarks at the signing of the contract between Guyana and US companies CH4/Lindsayca, to build the US$759 million, 300 MW combined-cycle power plant and a natural gas liquids (NGL) facility.
“We know that very well that Guyanese are smart, capable professionals who need to be paid fairly for their work and steps like the one you took yesterday, earlier this week, are key to recognising and retaining key critical talent in Guyana to aid with this rapid economic transformation,” she added.
On Monday, President Irfaan Ali announced that effective from January 1, 2023, salaries will be increased significantly for professionals in the health sector with midwives and pharmacists attracting the biggest hikes in a package that will cost $1.5b annually.
He said the adjustments to the current minimum salaries are additional to the eight percent across-the-board increase for public servants which was announced last month.
Over 5,000 medical professionals are expected to benefit from the revisions of the salaries, Ali said.
Last month, the President announced an eight percent across-the-board pay increase retroactive to January 1st 2022 for public servants, teachers and members of the Disciplined Services and he had signalled further adjustments to the emoluments of specific categories of workers.
On November 24, President Ali announced salary adjustments for members of the Disciplined Services.
