Cabinet approves overtime pay for election workers
The government has decided to amend the Elections Act to give workers overtime pay for work done during an election or referendum.
The workers who are eligible for overtime pay include staff of the Office of the Supervisor of Elections and other core support workers who help to make elections a success.
The decision is considered long overdue, especially since election workers have traditionally worked extraordinary hours when people go to the polls and have not been successful in getting successive administrations to approve overtime pay for them.
According to documents that show recent Cabinet decisions, the government has big plans for the Office of the Supervisor or Elections and instructions have been given to draft new legislation that will allow the Office of the Supervisor of Elections to become a department.
Later on, when the next Virgin Islands Constitution is finalized, that department will become an Electoral Commission. The new legislation will also provide for the establishment of an Electoral Advisory Committee that will have the statutory role to provide advice to the Supervisor of Elections on the performance of his/her functions.
The changes come amid long-standing calls for an upgrade to the Elections Act in the territory. After the 2023 general elections, Supervisor of Elections Scherrie Griffin called for a thorough assessment of the Act, saying the government should work towards implementing whatever reforms are necessary at the earliest possible opportunity.
“I think that the elections in itself need a comprehensive review. We need to move away from seemingly responding or making reforms to the legislation shortly before the next elections,” Griffin stated at the time.
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Isn’t it their civic duty?
We want to know who the other core workers are. It cannot be affiliates who were placed there to interpret for political parties. In the future those individual must be appointed by the election office, background checked and appointed by the Governor’s office or whomever would be in charge if we go independent. You all finding all means and ways to undermine the system to you all advantage. Seems like this is a set up in preparation for the next election cycle.
What exactly are you talking about??? Who do you think they are speaking about hiring? But on another topic, one thinf should be done is vetting of candidates, but you all aint ready for that conversation.
Correct it needs to be all inclusive
Why?
Tips
Considering that in the four years leading up to elections there is very little work to be done, this seems beyond ridiculous.
WHAT ABOUT OVERTIME FOR WATER AND SEWERAGE WORKERS?