Extra pay or enduring wealth? Expert urges structured use of bonus for disciplined services

Dec 25, 2025 News

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(Kaieteur News) – Following President Irfaan Ali’s announcement of an additional month’s salary for members of Guyana’s disciplined services, Financial Readiness and Corporate Wealth Educator Athalyah Yisrael is urging a structured, cost-neutral approach to ensure the added income creates lasting benefits for ranks and their families.

Yisrael, Co-Founder of Outliers Zone Caribbean, emphasised that financial readiness is not about earning more, but about managing income with intention. “Financial readiness is the ability of individuals and families to meet today’s obligations while deliberately preparing for future needs, risks, and opportunities—without financial stress or reliance on crisis support,” she explained. “In practical terms, income must be structured, not reactive.” She noted that additional income presents a critical choice.

“It can be treated as a short-term reward for past service, or it can be treated as a seed—an intentional investment in a family’s future financial security.” Without structure, Yisrael warned, extra income often disappears into immediate expenses, leaving long-term vulnerability unchanged. “In agriculture, if everything harvested is consumed and nothing is replanted, sustainability becomes impossible,” she said. “Money works the same way. What is not structured cannot multiply.” Over the past eight years, Outliers Zone Caribbean has partnered with 42 organizations, supporting more than 3,000 employees in moving from paycheck-to-paycheck living to structured money management and asset building—without salary increases or added payroll costs.

At the center of the organization’s proposal is a Financial Readiness framework that guides ranks to intentionally allocate income across five strategic compartments: Tithe, Invest, Save, Donate, and Spend. This model ensures that every dollar serves both present needs and long-term stability, reframing income as a tool for growth rather than consumption. “This approach helps ranks see money not simply as something to spend, but as a resource to steward,” Yisrael said. “When income is structured intentionally, families reduce stress, build security, and strengthen independence.” The framework is further reinforced by Outliers Zone Caribbean’s 7F’s Holistic Financial Wellness Model, which expands financial readiness beyond money management to include Faith, Fitness, Family, Finance, Fun and Fulfillment, Future, and Friends.

This holistic lens enables disciplined service members to align not only their income, but also their time, energy, and resources toward building a meaningful and financially resilient legacy. Designed specifically for the disciplined services, the Financial Readiness and Wealth Education initiative aims to strengthen financial discipline and resilience, reduce money-related stress and distraction, increase the real economic value of salaries, and enhance morale, focus, and long-term workforce readiness. “This is about protecting the intent behind the Government’s investment in its people,” Yisrael concluded. “With the right structure, this additional income can become a foundation for generational stability—not temporary relief.” Outliers Zone Caribbean has formally requested the opportunity to present this cost-neutral Financial Readiness framework to national leadership and relevant agencies.

Last week President announced the one-month tax-free bonus for members of the joint services while delivering an address at the annual Christmas Luncheon hosted by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at Camp Stephenson in Timehri.

He acknowledged the bravery and dedication of servicemen and women throughout the year, especially in protecting the nation’s sovereignty, which he underscored cannot be measured in dollars and cents. The President said, “Every member of the force, regardless of rank, is essential to its strength and success and that respect flow in all directions. Every rank has its role and every role has its value. Every contribution matter, from the newest recruit to the most senior officer, the force operates as a single body with each part dependent on the other for strength and success…on behalf of the people of Guyana I thank you most sincerely for your service.”

To this end, he announced that the one-month tax-free bonus will benefit more than 13,000 members of the disciplined services and will cost the treasury $2.1B. In prefacing his announcement, Ali pointed out the measures implemented by the government to compensate the disciplined services. He noted that over the last five years, his government has not only restored the payment of a one-month tax-free bonus but increased salaries, accelerated promotions, improved working conditions and expanded training opportunities.

He pointed out that the force over the past year continued to distinguish itself through its professionalism, disciple and dedication to duty and fulfilled its responsibility with resolve, often in demanding circumstances. “You have protected Guyana’s borders, you have safe guarded our territorial integrity, you have upheld our sovereignty. These are not abstract achievements nor are they matters that can be measured in dollars and cents.”

Ali went on to point out that the Christmas season deepens the meaning of the forces’ responsibilities. “The message of Christmas does not deny the existence of conflict or danger but it insists that peace remains possible. Even in a troubled world when wisdom prevails over impulse and justice over force. As we celebrate this moment, let us remain alert to threats to peace even as we recommit ourselves to preserving it,” he urged.

The one-month tax-free bonus for members of the joint services came one day after the President announced that government will not be paying out a cash grant to the wider Guyanese population ahead of Christmas, although he previously hinted on the campaign trail that “you will have a bright Christmas.” Public servants such as doctors, nurses and teachers will be expected for the first time in years to meet holiday expenses without any additional revenue from government to cushion their high expenses.

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• Athalyah Yisrael, bonus, Disciplined Services’, Extra pay

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