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State raises stipends for NDC and RDC officials, demands better community performance
(Kaieteur News) – Local government officials across Guyana are set to receive substantial stipend increases within days, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand announced Thursday — but the boost comes with a firm expectation of improved community service.
A screengrab of Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Priya Manickchand during her address.
In a video message, Manickchand confirmed that 2026 budget measures authorising the increases have cleared the Ministry of Finance and that disbursements are imminent. The adjustments represent dramatic hikes for officials at the village level, where many have long managed community affairs on what amounted to token allowances.
The increases are as follows:
| Position | Previous Stipend (GYD) | New Stipend (GYD) | Net Increase (GYD) |
| NDC Chairperson | $10,000 | $50,000 | +$40,000 |
| NDC Vice-Chairperson | $5,000 | $40,000 | +$35,000 |
| NDC Councillor | $3,000 | $30,000 | +$27,000 |
| Regional Councillor (RDC) | $30,000 | $50,000 | +$20,000 |
The increases target two tiers of local governance: Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), which handle village-level administration, and Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs), which oversee broader regional affairs. An estimated 70 NDC Chairpersons, 70 Vice-Chairpersons, and more than 1,000 local and regional councillors across Guyana’s ten administrative regions stand to benefit.
Manickchand attributed the delay in rolling out the measures — first outlined in the 2026 National Budget — to the time required to process documentation between ministries. “We had to get some paperwork from the Ministry of Finance, that took some time,” she said. “We’ve finally gotten that, and we’re about to give you this significant raise in stipends.”
The Minister, however, was equally clear that the increases carry an obligation. Invoking a familiar principle, she tied the financial uplift directly to expectations of performance. “When much is given, much is expected,” Manickchand said. “I believe that we can work together to make our local bodies function better, and this is our part of trying to make sure we can do our part as a state to help these bodies.”
The NDC Chairperson stipend alone reflects a 400 percent increase, while NDC Councillors — the most numerous tier — will see their allowances rise tenfold, from $3,000 to $30,000 per month.
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