Guyana gov't dismisses suggestions of delay in salaries due to insufficent funds

The Guyana government Wednesday distanced itself from the late payment of salaries to members of the joint and protective services, saying that the submission of inaccurate information was to blame for the situation.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan dismissed suggestions that the delay was due to unavailable finances, noting that the Ministry of Public Security’s payroll was released from the Ministry of Finance on Thursday, October 18.

Jordan said the Ministry of Public Security’s payroll was released from the Ministry of Finance on Thursday, October 18.

He said a request note indicating that insufficient information had been sent the following day to the affected departments and that a letter for Budget approval sent to the Director of Budget on Monday, October 22.

Jordan said that approval was granted, and the funds released the same day and that attempts to import the payroll on Tuesday, October 23 highlighted several errors resulting from incorrect postings during the year.

Jordan said that the staff worked into the night to correct the errors.

“Staff of the ministry of Public Security were unable to assist in the process with necessary explanations despite being provided with tables and demonstrations from the technical staff of the Ministry of Finance, for hours. The result therefore was the inability to process the Ministry of Public Security’s payroll to date,” according to a government statement.

It said Jordan has assured that the processing of the payroll will continue Wednesday so as to rectify all errors and ensure salaries are paid to the joint services.

The statement said that the agencies affected include Guyana Prison Service and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).