Public servants hoping for a bonus this Christmas will be left disappointed, as Finance Minister Winston Jordan on Friday ruled out any bonus pay-out to State workers due to limited fiscal space.
In his revelation to the media, Jordan explained that countrywide infrastructure projects are ongoing. As such, he argued that because of these projects, money is being circulated back into the economy.
“I can tell you that it will not happen this year,” the Minister said when asked about bonus for public servants. “The challenges are many and the resources are few.”
In the absence of a bonus, Jordan explained that public servants still had much to be proud of as he pointed to the ongoing projects such as on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project.
“The West Demerara road is close to completion. So there has been a hive of activity across the country. A lot of spending is taking place, so if only because of that, people should be happy because a lot of money is being injected into the economy,” Jordan said.
Last year, public servants had waited with bated breath to hear if Government would announce a month tax-free bonus but were instead treated to a reduced amount.
He later told reporters last year that Government simply did not have the monies available to make the one-month tax-free payment to members of the public service.
The Minister in providing some insight on Government’s proposal to reform the public service through its public servants, pointed to comprehensive institutionalisation of the tenets of results-based management. He pointed too to the recently opened public service college and its role in revitalising workers.
