GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali Tuesday announced a 10 per cent retroactive salary increase for all public servants and that people with academic qualifications will also benefit financially as of January next year.

Ali, speaking at a breakfast with officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), said that the public servants will also receive an eight per cent increase in salaries in 2025 and that these new wage packages follow talks with the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU).

“This 10 per cent increase in salary, which is retroactive from 1st January 2024, will amount to 35 percent cumulative salary increase over the last four years,” Ali said, adding “further, we’ve been able to bring to the union that 2025 will also see an increase in the salary of public servants of eight per cent”.

Ali said in addition that the government will work on various salary scale adjustments from next year in a move aimed at guaranteeing that the workers take home more money, monthly.

The head of state said that qualification allowances will also be introduced from January 1, 2025 and that individuals with their qualification from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) will also get a monthly allowance of $15,000 GUY (One Guyana dollar=US$0.004 cents).

Ali said persons with a Master’s Degree will get $22,000 GUY monthly, while those with a doctoral degree will receive $32,000 GUY monthly.

“This is in-keeping with our commitment of incentivising education, training and the development of our human capital,” he said, adding that members of the disciplined forces will also benefit from increases to housing and risk allowances.

Ali said eligible categories of health workers would get a $5,000 GUY annual increase in uniform allowances and $10,000 GUY for public servants. There would also be a monthly housing allowance of $35,000 GUY for public servants on secondment transfer to hinterland locations from January 1, 2025.

In addition, there would be a $8,000 GUY station allowance for public servants serving in certain riverain and hinterland areas and Ali said there would a 50 per cent increase in risk allowance, and a 104 per cent increase in motor car and travel allowances.

Ali said the government would grant 100 duty free concessions annually for staff nurses and above, with “priority given to persons with the longest years of service and those who have never benefitted from a duty free concession

“This would ensure that the criteria for those who are granted the duty free also serve the time which is five years and three years so it is an incentive for the retention of our nurses also,” he said, adding “from this announcement, you can see this government’s commitment to every category of people of our country is unquestionable”.