Guyanese govt announces one month tax-free salary for joint forces

Georgetown, Guyana: The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces as well as the President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, announced one month’s tax-free salary for all members of the Joint Services on Wednesday.

He made the remark during the annual Christmas luncheon of the Guyana Defence Forces. Earlier this month, the government announced a hike of 7 percent in the salaries of the forces, to be paid along with the wages of the December month.

President Ali asserted, “This year, we are returning the full month, tax-free bonus to you, and let me be very clear on this because I want to be clear to all those who are listening, we are not returning the one-month tax-free bonus for any other reason”.

“But because you deserve it because you work hard for it and for those in our society who believe you can just take things away, and who believe that you can take things away from the soldier, I challenge them to go spend a year in some of the locations and live the life you do in the protection of your country and then they will know whether you deserve it.”

While appreciating the selfless services by the frontline workers, earlier on Tuesday, the Head of the State announced a two-week tax-free bonus for all health care workers.

During his address on Tuesday, President Ali highlighted that this tax-free bonus to the workers of the healthcare department would cost the administration approximately GUY$612 million (US$1 = GUY$208.74), given to an estimated 9,200 health care workers.

Joint Services includes the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Prison Service and the Guyana Fire Service.

The general public applauded the decision of the Guyanese government. Last year, the administration gave a joint service of the island received a two-week tax-free bonus.

President Ali also shared the news via his Facebook post, on which one of the social media users cited, “Thank you, Mr President, I love and appreciate all that your government is doing, but what about our teachers? I think they deserve something too. See how best you can make us feel nice. Thank you in advance, my dear Mr President”.