Just over 500 increment payments remain

After promising previously that public servants would be paid outstanding salary increments for the 2018-2019 period by the end of June, the government now says it has some 539 public officers still left to receive their payments for that period.

According to information released by the government, the outstanding payments represent just about a quarter of the total amount of public officers to be paid salary increments for that period.

So far, a total of 1,722 or 76 percent of public officers have received increment payments between the period May 1 to August 15, 2023.

The government also shared a detailed breakdown of the payments that were made across the various government ministries and departments. Information showed some 385 payments made within the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, accounting for the lion’s share of payments across government ministries.

Meanwhile, the government revealed that there are just about 144 teachers — whether active, resigned, retired or terminated — that are left to be issued their increment payments for the corresponding period.

Some 208 payments have been processed for 258 pre-primary and primary school teachers, which leaves 50 teachers left to be processed at this level.

The update also shows that 212 of 306 teachers at the secondary school level have been issued their increment payments for the 2018-2019 period, leaving some 94 payments remaining for teachers within the various categories.

Back in February, the government said it had made funding available for eligible public officers to be paid up to the end of the second quarter, noting that persons would receive the payment of two full increments — 2018 & 2019 — and see a change in their salary levels by five incremental steps.

However, with concerns mounting from public officers over delayed payments of the increments, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said the issue was out of his hands and now completely under the remit of the Governor’s Office.

Premier Wheatley asked that public officers remain patient with the roll-out of payments and advised that Deputy Governor, David Archer, was doing a good job of keeping the public updated as it pertains to the progress in processing the increments.

Some reports suggested that administrative issues were largely to blame for most of the delays.