Georgetown : Minister of Governance, Raphael Trotman dismissed claims that the Government is about to immediately ‘increase significantly’, the salaries of its Ministers, Presidential Advisors, Government Officials, and all Parliamentarians.
News of this supposed ‘immediate increase’ surfaced last week.
Minister Trotman explained that the government is looking at “across the board” salary increases. This will apply to all public servants and will include persons in the security services.
Trotman dismissed claims from some sections of the media which are touting as much as a “100% hike in salaries for ministers of government.” He deemed this as “amusing and ludicrous.”
Trotman noted that his colleague, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, had specifically mentioned that an increase was being considered but that no fixed figure was put forward nor time ascribed for an increase.
According to the Minister, the Government is approaching ‘salary increases’ in a very patient and professional manner, and that, “all reviews of salaries for the Public Service are under the purview of Professor Harold Lutchman,” who is a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Caribbean Court of Justice and also a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana.
In proffering reasons for salary increases, the Minister said that apart from ‘honouring its first 100 day promises,’ there is a need to distinguish, via salary scales, the various categories of Government Officers including, Ministers and Junior Minsters, Vice Presidents and Presidential Advisors. He pointed out that “None of these were catered for over the last twenty years, and so as a matter of law, there will have to be adjustments.”
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