Shadow Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul has taken to his social media account to call out the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) proposed increase in pay to public sector workers. “With oil money the PPP/C gave us just 8%. SHAMEFUL!!!”
President Irfaan Ali on Thursday announced an eight percent (8 % ) pay increase to public sector workers. The pay will be retroactive and payable to public servants, teachers, members of the disciplined services, constitutional office holders, and government pensioners. Junior ranks in the Police Force, Prison Service, Fire Service and specific categories of employees in the public healthcare system are promised a separate adjustment in their salaries.
Crunching the numbers, Mahipaul made known:-
President Ali receives a salary of somewhere around $1, 800, 000 (One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars.) and 8% of $1,800,000 is $144 000 and when we multiply that by 12 months to cater for the retroactive, he will get $1, 728, 000 (One Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Eight Thousand Dollars) as his salary increase. So Irfaan for December will take home over $3.5M (Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars.)
His Ministers, Mahipaul pointed out, will receive close to $900 000 monthly and with the 8% salary increase retroactive they will each take home for December their $900 000 plus $864 000, a total of $1, 764, 000 (One Million, Seven hundred and Sixty Four Thousand Dollars.)
“Point to note: the above is just salaries. I made no mention of their allowances.
The ordinary man and women now. Minimum wage is $75 000 and 8% of that is $6000.
8% of $100 000 is $8000.
8% of $150 000 is $12000.
I say no more. You be the judge!!!”
The proposed pay-out comes at a time when Guyana is dubbed amongst the world’s fastest growing economies, some ranked it as the fastest, and oil revenue this year is pegged atUS$1.1 billion dollars.
The reality prompted the shadow minister to compare the payout during the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government when Guyana did not have similar economic fortunes
Mahipaul reminds, supported by tables, in 2015 the APNU+ AFC moved minimum wage from $39,540 to 50,000 and a 5% increase plus an additional $5000. In 2015, the APNU+AFC was able to give the ordinary hardworking Guyanese close to $20 000 more on what was there salary then plus we had a one-off Christmas Bonus of $50 000 bonus.
In 2016, the APNU+AFC moved minimum wage from $50,000 to $55,000 and gave 10% salary increase to Public Servants earning below $100 000. (seen below)
In 2017, the APNU+AFC moved minimum wage from $55,000 to $60,000 and gave salary increase of 6%. (seen below)
In 2018, APNU+AFC moved minimum wage from $60,000 to $64,200 and gave salary increase of 7 % (seen below)
In 2019,APNU+AFC moved minimum wage from $64,200 to $70,000 and gave salary increase of 9%. 
According to Mahipaul the coalition made possible such salary increases “without oil money [but] with oil money the PPP/C gave us just 8%.”
SHAMEFUL!!! he concluded.
