Police, Soldiers, Firemen get boost in salaries

Nov 25, 2022 News

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…Opposition Leader says increases ‘unacceptable’

Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali on Thursday announced salary adjustments for members of the Disciplined Services namely, the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). No salary adjustment has been announced for the Guyana Prison Service (GPS).

Last week, the President announced an eight percent retroactive increase across the board for Public Servants and had promised to make another announcement for members of the joint services. Thursday’s announcement will see some 8000 service men and women benefitting from the new salary scales from January 2023.  According to the President, the announcement represents the first phase of additional adjustments to salaries in relation to varying categories of workers.

“These salary adjustments come with great costs to the Treasury. We expect you to honour these adjustments with dignity, with hard work, with accountability, and with transparency. And we expect you to perform at all times at the highest level. We expect you to deliver a better service to the people of our country,”  President Ali said.   Some $1B will be expended on the salary adjustments.

Guyana Police Force

The President announced that Constables will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $94,907 to $102,488. He said this represents an additional 8 percent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Constable.

Additionally, Constables with five to ten years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $110,000, and those with more than ten years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $115,000.

Lance Corporals will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $108,719 to $115,000. This would represent an additional 5.8 percent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Lance Corporal. Additionally, Lance Corporals with five to ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $120,000, and those with more than ten years of experience in that rank will now receive a salary of no less than $125,000.

The minimum salary of a Corporal will be adjusted upwards from $111,327 to $125,000 representing an additional 12.3 percent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Corporal. Additionally, Corporals with five to ten years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $130,000, and those with more than ten years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $135,000, the Head of State announced.

Come January 2023, Sergeants will have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $128,056 to $140,000 representing an additional 9.3 percent increase on their current minimum salary. Additionally, Sergeants with five to ten years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $145,000, and those with more than ten years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $150,000.

The salary scale for Inspectors will be adjusted upwards from $163,712 to $170,000. Inspectors with five and more years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $175,000 while Chief Inspectors will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $178,630 to $185,000. Chief Inspectors with five and more years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $185,000.

Cadet Officers’ salaries will increase from $171,224 to $185,000. This represents an additional 8 percent increase on the current minimum salary paid to a Cadet Officer while Cadet Officers with five and more years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $185,000.

Assistant Superintendents, will benefit from a 5.8 percent increase that will see their payment scale increasing from a minimum of $188,978 to $200,000.

President Ali announced that Deputy Superintendents, will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $188,978 to $230,000. This, he said, represents an additional 21.7 percent increase on their current minimum salary.

Superintendents will have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $200,299 to $240,000 representing an additional 19.8 percent increase on their current minimum salary.

Senior Superintendents, on the other hand, will benefit from an additional 8 percent increase on their current minimum salary which will be adjusted upwards from $296,296 to $320,000. Additionally, Senior Superintendents with more than 5 years of experience would also benefit from this minimum.

Assistant Commissioners will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $418,518 to $425,000.

As it relates to Rural Constables, the President stated that they will have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $75, 203 to $85,000. This represents a 13 percent increase on their current minimum salary. While Neighbourhood Policemen and Policewomen will have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $84,387 to $95,000.

Guyana Fire Service

Firemen and Firewomen with five to ten years’ experience will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $102,488 to $110,000. This represents an additional 7.3 percent increase on the current minimum salary. Additionally, Firemen/Firewomen with more than ten years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $115,000.

Leading Firemen/Firewomen will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $122,241 to $130,000. The $7,759 increase represents an additional 6.3 percent on their current minimum salary. Additionally, Leading Firemen/Firewomen with five and more years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $130,000.

Section Leaders will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $154,172 to $174,172. Additionally, Section Leaders with five and more years of experience will now receive a salary of no less than $174,172.

Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) will have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $88,143 to $95,000. Additionally, EMTs with five to ten years’ experience will soon receive a salary of no less than $105,000, and those with more than ten years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $110,000.

President Ali said that Sub-Officers will have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $154,181 to $174,181 representing a 13 percent increase on their current minimum salary. Additionally, Sub-Officers with five and more years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $174,181.

GFS Cadet Officers will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $171,938 to $185,000. Additionally, Cadet Officers with five and more years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $185,000.

Station Officers will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $251,639 to $260,000. Additionally, Station Officers with five and more years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $260,000.

Divisional Officers will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $337,364 to $345,000.

Guyana Defence Force

Recruits of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) will now have their current minimum salary adjusted upwards from $94,485 to $100,000. Additionally, Recruits with five and more years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $100,000.

Privates will benefit from an 8.1 percent increase on their minimum salary moving it from $94,771 to $102,488.  Privates with five to ten years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $110,000, and those with more than ten years’ experience will now receive a salary of no less than $115,000.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton in a statement issued shortly after the President’s announcement said the increase given to the Police is “unacceptable” The “miserly pay increase for Police is unacceptable,” Norton said noting that with the Government’s budget ballooning by nearly 50 percent this year, the increases that have been proposed across the different categories and ranks of Police Officers are unacceptable. “Where have all these billions gone?” he asked. Norton continued: “The PPP/C can stand up and say to the nation that a Police Officer with over ten (10) long years of experience should only be paid $115,000 dollars a month is unbelievable. Clearly they do not respect the hard work that Policemen and women do every day in service of our nation.”

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