President Irfaan Ali says that members of the Guyana Defence Force will get two weeks tax-free bonus in their next pay slip.
The Head of State made this announcement yesterday, as he shared Christmas lunch with GDF ranks in the border community of Kaikan, in Region Seven (Cuyuni- Mazaruni).
“Even with the difficulties of the pandemic, the slope of the recovery expenditure, the reorganising of the budget to facilitate resources to mitigate issues surrounding the pandemic…we are still going to deliver to our men and women in uniform. I have asked to be included in your next pay slip, two weeks of tax-free bonus for all of our men and women in uniform”, he said, according to a release today from the Office of the President.
The President assured the soldiers that it was the first of many such opportunities on the horizon for them. He said that his Government will make certain that the quality of life of the ranks and their families improve.
” This is the start of many opportunities that will come your way….I assure you that we are not only concentrating on a bag of goodies at Christmas time, but we are concentrating on lifetime change, lifetime opportunities. And I assure you that during my tenure in office, your life and your family’s lives will be better and you will be better equipped for the future”, he said, according to the release.
President Ali noted that come next year, the Government will also be making available 20,000 new scholarships, which will be done online. He said this will give persons, including the soldiers stationed in remote areas, equal access to educational opportunities.
“Importantly, many of these diplomas, degrees and certificates will be achieved through distance or online training… And I assure you all in this location; our health workers, our teachers that these opportunities will meet you and you will be able to achieve your educational goals even in these locations, even with the difficulties of the pandemic”, he said.
The President also challenged the officers present to achieve consensus and to select three most eligible ranks from amongst themselves, to be given University of Guyana scholarships.
