Bright Christmas for Disciplined Services members

Members of Guyana’s Disciplined Services will receive a one-month, tax-free Christmas bonus, a move expected to inject $2.1 billion in disposable income into the economy and benefit more than 13,000 personnel.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced the measure on Thursday while addressing the Guyana Defence Force’s Christmas Luncheon at Base Camp Stephenson, reaffirming the government’s commitment to the welfare and professional development of the services.

“Over the past five years, we have not only restored the one-month tax-free bonus to the disciplined services, but we have increased salaries, adjusted scales upward, accelerated promotions, improved working conditions and expanded training opportunities,” President Ali said.

The bonus initiative, restored in 2020, has placed more than $6 billion in the hands of members of the Disciplined Services and was expanded in 2023 to include civilian employees of the GDF.

The President also highlighted efforts to prepare soldiers for life beyond active service, noting that thousands across the joint services are benefiting from the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) Scholarship Programme. He said the Chief of Defence Staff has been instructed to ensure every soldier is registered on the Guyana Digital School, with a minimum requirement to pursue Mathematics and English.

“We are preparing you to live a life of honour and dignity long after you retire. As you serve today, you must also be able to enjoy the enormous benefits of this economy tomorrow, because you deserve it,” the President said.

Ali described the annual Christmas Luncheon as a tradition that strengthens unity within the force, pointing to the symbolic practice of senior officers and the Commander-in-Chief serving meals to junior ranks.

“That simple but deeply symbolic observance speaks powerfully to who we are as a defence force. Authority is expressed through service and leadership is demonstrated through humility,” he said.

“Every rank has its role. Every role has its value. Every contribution matters.”

Commending the Force’s performance over the past year, the President praised the GDF for protecting Guyana’s borders, safeguarding territorial integrity and upholding national sovereignty amid regional and global uncertainty.

“The uniform you wear is more than a symbol of authority. It is a pledge to the people of Guyana that their safety, their freedom and their national patrimony will be defended. That pledge is being honoured,” he said.

Ali reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening defence capability, maintaining a professional and well-prepared force, and deepening defence cooperation and diplomacy to promote regional stability and combat transnational crime.