GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – As members of the Disciplined Services in Guyana get ready to cast their ballots on August 22, they are being promised significant salary increases, promotion, and better working conditions by the presidential candidates.
Guyanese voters will go to the polls to elect a new government on September 1 in the general and regional elections.
On Friday, the presidential candidate for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton, said that should the coalition be elected to office, members of the Disciplined Forces are in line for increased pay, better working and living conditions, bonuses, and other inducements.
“We have listened to the concerns and demands of our soldiers and police, we understand their plight and problems and as the next government the APNU coalition will respond by increasing their salary by up to 35 per cent with yearly bonuses, paying out a yearly cash transfer of GUY$100,000 (One Guyana dollar = 0.004 cents) beginning in our first year, increasing the minimum wage and starting salary to at least $200,000 a month,” Norton told a news conference.
On Thursday, the Alliance for Change (AFC), whose presidential candidate is attorney Nigel Hughes, released its manifesto promising a month’s tax-free bonus to the members of the Disciplinary Force each Christmas.
In addition to the two-month tax-free yearend bonus, the AFC is also promising a free house lot, a Joint Services Housing Development, money for the family of any rank who dies in the line of duty or is injured and permanently disabled while on the job, or if a rank becomes disabled while off duty, along with salary increases.
Additionally, the party is promising a tax-free allowance to servicemen and women stationed at the border, in addition to a national cash grant.
The one-month tax-free yearend bonus for the Joint Services ranks is a key initiative of the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government, whose presidential candidate and incumbent, Irfaan Ali, is also urging serving members of the Disciplinary Forces to take advantage of the various programmes and measures introduced by his administration.
“Between eight to 10 years of service, and you’re a Corporal now, we are going to put all of them to the highest level of the (salary) scale as Corporal. So their salary will be adjusted to the highest level of the scale.
“All those persons who are Constables and have between five and seven years of service and have not been promoted, you will now go to Lance Corporal at the highest level of the scale. And that brings us now to those who are eight and 10 years in the system, and you’re still a Constable, you go straight to Corporal now at the highest end of the scale.
“Those with 10 to 13 years of service, we are going to put you guys as Sergeant…those between 13 and 15, you will go to Sergeant at the highest level of the scale. Those who are in the Force now with 20 years and above service with a good discipline record and are not at the level of Inspector, will be adjusted to the level of Inspector”, Ali said.
He said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has seen too many long-serving members retiring at the level of Constable and Corporal after serving for more than 20 years, and that this will change as every member of the Force with 20 years of service and no discipline record will be moved to the level of Inspector.
“I want us to work together over the next five years…and I want to leave the best possible Police Force with the best standards for all of you, but you have to work with me. This is a collective effort”, he added.
Norton told reporters that members of the Guyana Defence Force will enjoy other benefits such as rent-to-own housing, water and electricity subsidy, and child allowances. He said the APNU will also ensure promotion and training scholarships are based on merit.
He said an expert commission will also be established to review the conditions of service and to make recommendations on the living conditions of camps and compounds of officers stationed at the various stations.
“For our soldiers especially, we will provide better barracks conditions, especially those in the infantry units and those serving at border locations. We will better equip the army with better equipment and armaments, especially for those units protecting our border and ensuring national security.”
The APNU Presidential candidate said there is also a need to upgrade the technical skills of soldiers in areas such as computer technology, construction, and agriculture. For policemen and women, he said his party will ensure all appointments are made without violating the constitution.
Norton believes that there needs to be a massive overhaul of the GPF, saying the Force “is a stooge of the PPP/C and is misused by this regime.
“…we are talking about the leadership of the police because we know there are good people in the police force, we know that in large measures the police supports the APNU and will continue to do so, but there are finding themselves in a difficult position, because the PPP is afraid of losing and they are using every trick in the book to ensure they control and dominate, all I am saying to the police a few days left, Vote APNU and you will be free,” Norton said.
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