Eight per cent pay increase for public servants

President Bharrat Jagdeo today granted approval for an 8 percent across-the-board increase to be paid to Government employees with effect from 1st January 2011, the Government Information Agency this afternoon said.

GINA said that the 8 percent increase will be payable to all public servants and members of the disciplined services, while teachers will get a 3 percent across the board hike with effect from 1st January 2011 on top of the 5 percent increase previously paid by Government with effect from the same date in accordance with the multiyear agreement concluded between Government and the Guyana Teachers Union.

The President, according to GINA, also granted approval for an additional increase of 3 percent to be paid to employees of the Guyana Sugar Corporation, who were previously paid a 5 percent increase for 2011. It said that the latest decision by the President would bring the total increase paid for 2011 to all these categories of employees to 8 percent.

“The Government of Guyana has consistently paid increases to public sector employees over recent years, at a time when many other countries in the Caribbean and the rest of the world have imposed wage freezes and cuts in their public sector”, GINA said.