Joint Services, health workers to receive $ 25,000 cash grant
Kaieteur News – Members of the Disciplined Forces along with healthcare workers are among the more than 60,000 public servants who are about to receive the $ 25,000 one-off cash grant announced by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali last Thursday.
A circular from the Finance Secretary, Mr Sukrishnalall Pasha, to heads of budget agencies today stated that “all traditional public servants, defined to mean those employed in Ministries, Departments not under Ministerial control, Regional Administrators, and agencies related to Public Service ie Commission Secretaries and those who employ contract posts reflected in the list of authorized Public Service positions and contracted individuals outside the devised posts. This includes teachers and healthcare workers, all members of the Disciplinary Services Defense Force Pensioners, the Government, the Police and Guyana. ”
The circular stated, however, that the cash grant does not apply to agencies that gave pay increases or bonuses during 2020.
Last year the Government had advised heads of agencies not to increase salaries or give bonuses. However, some agencies went ahead and did so. Those individuals who benefited from those increases or bonuses will not receive the cash grant.
The President announced that on New Year’s Day, more than $ 2 billion would be paid to over 60,000 Central Government employees, statutory bodies, subsidy agencies, public corporations, teachers, medical professionals, service members jointly, government pensioners and University of Guyana staff to assist them with the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Ali said the initiative also extends to current employees of the Guyana Sugar Corporation.