By the end of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic’s (PPP/C) five-years in office, public servants will receive an additional $100 billion which is an 80% increase in the public sector wage bill. To date, the public servants wage bill has increased by 66% from $126.8 billion in 2020 to $210 billion. This is according to the party’s General Secretary and Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.
At his press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo strongly rebuked the criticisms from the opposition’s camp on the recent 10% wage increase for public servants. He called the opposition’s criticisms an attempt to mislead the public and misrepresent the government’s achievements.
Firstly, Jagdeo emphasized the positive benefits for public sector workers, that case as a result of the negotiations with the government and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU). “The country woke up a few days ago to very good news. The government of Guyana had secured, working with the GPSU and agreement for the increase of public sector wages but I don’t think everyone was happy with the news, particularly the opposition,” Jagdeo said.
He referenced the resolution of the teachers’ wage dispute, which resulted in significant increase in teachers’ pay and addressed a range of long-standing issues. Similarly, he noted that the agreement with the GPSU not only provided substantial salary increases but also addressed allowances and benefits for public servants.
To this end, the Vice President outlined that despite these efforts, the opposition criticized the increase as insufficient. He said Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Nigel Hughes, accused the government of attempting to “buy votes” with the increase, while Leader of the People’s National Congress (PNCR), Aubrey Norton dismissed the increase to public servants labelling it as an insult and pittance thrown to public servants.
He further addressed the opposition members who also sought to distort their own track record on public sector wages – while unfairly accusing the government of shortchanging workers.
The Vice President urged the opposition to check the facts. He also presented figures to counter the opposition’s claims.
He outlined that the public sector comprises three components: central government, public enterprises, and statutory bodies, employing approximately 70,000 people. According to the figures presented by the Vice President, in 2020, the wage bill for the central government stood at $71.8 billion; by 2024, following the 10% increase, it will rise to $121.4 billion—a $49.6 billion increase. Public enterprises saw their wage bill rise from $16.1 billion in 2020 to $24 billion in 2024, while statutory bodies’ wages increased from $38.9 billion to $65.2 billion.
Overall, Jagdeo highlighted that the total public sector wage bill has surged from $126.8 billion in 2020 to $210 billion in 2024, marking an $83.9 billion-dollar increase. He underscored that the 66% increase is part of a broader strategy to ensure public sector employees receive fair and competitive wages.
With the additional 8% increase planned for next year, Jagdeo pointed out that the wage bill is projected to reach $227 billion by 2025, marking an 80% increase over five years.
“So, this is a significant increase…If we add the 8% for next year, it will be moved from $126 billion to $227 billion. That means an 80% increase in the wage bill for the public sector for the five years under the PPP,” the Vice President noted.
