Around two public servants resigned every day since PPP took office

Feb 18, 2025 News

Kaieteur News- Since the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) took office in August 2020, a total of 2,832 public servants have resigned, as at the end of December 2024. This means that during the period, an average of two employees left the public service daily.

Around two public servants resigned every day since PPP took office

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh

This information was provided to the National Assembly on Monday by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh.

He was asked by former Public Service Minister, Tabitha Sarabo-Haley to indicate the number of public servants, including nurses, doctors, teachers, police officers and soldiers who have tendered their resignation between the period August 2020 and November 2024.

In his response, Dr. Singh pointed out that teachers, police officers and soldiers do not fall under the traditional public service; as such he provided the House with the number of employees that fall under this remit.

He said, “In relation to those agencies and categories of public sector employees who do fall within the remit of the Public Service Ministry, it is my duty to inform the honourable member that a total of 2,832 employees are…estimated to have resigned from the public service between the period August 2020 to December 2024.”

Sarabo-Haley therefore asked the Minister to say what systems have been put in place to reduce the level of public sector resignations or whether government considers this a normal amount.

To this end, Dr. Singh told the House that the local economy is undergoing significant changes. He explained that since the return of the PPP, there has been a clear increase in the rate of economic growth and expansion of private sector activities across the spectrum of productive activities and entry of new investors, both foreign and domestic, creating employment opportunities. That means that all citizens now have a wider array of employment opportunities than in any other time in our country’s history, according to him.

The Minister therefore noted that this has had implications on the mobility of labour as citizens are now able to assess their opportunities and pursue those which they prefer. In fact he said, “We are going further and we are investing heavily in training for all Guyanese people, not just public servants (but) including public servants of course.”

In the meantime, the minister added that government has been raising the terms and conditions of employment in the public service. These improvements are noticeable in the multi-year wage agreements, adjustments in allowances and other non-wage benefits, including initiatives to ensure citizens have access to house-lots, better access to social services, among other, he said. This has led to the private sector employees also being attracted to the public service in recent times, as has been the case with teachers for example. Presently, some 8,173 individuals are hired on contract by the government. Their salaries according to Minister Singh are in keeping with the normal public sector wages. Dr. Singh also noted that government has given employees the option of remaining on contract, since some prefer to receive 22.5% gratuity instead of pension.

(Around two public servants resigned every day since PPP took office)

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