Public Service Compensation Review is an election bait
Damion Grange, one of the hosts of the Talking Points radio show, said he questions whether the Premier is using the Public Service Compensation Review to gain the favour of the public ahead of general elections that are constitutionally due in May 2023.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley signed the contract for the long-awaited public sector review on September 27 and the government held a launch event earlier this week.
But Grange, a public servant himself, said he doesn’t understand why this review was sanctioned when the government is having trouble paying money it owes public officers.
“The government is having trouble paying monies they already owe to people and now you’re going to come with this false bait, dangling it over the heads of the people — getting people excited because we’re possibly on the verge of an election,” Grange said.
“So now I’m going to question the Premier’s motive, wondering if this is part of his re-election quest. You’re going to raise salaries and you still can’t pay what you owe? How does that work?” Grange questioned.
Co-host of the show, Elvin Grant questioned why the government is paying for a constitutional review now when they’ve stated that they are cash-strapped and may have to borrow a $50 million loan soon.
“Why are we trying to get that (loan) by the end of the year? So that we can just turn money loose in the economy just before a possible election. The whole thing may be unrelated but the cynicism in me tells me there is a relation,” Grant said.
He added that elected leaders need to stop paying lip service just to get the public on their side when it is convenient.
The government as well as public servants have long expressed the need for improved compensation in government. Many leave the public service for better salaries and benefits in the local private sector as well as in Canada, the US and the United Kingdom.
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Totally tone-deaf!! Do us the favor of resigning, and save yourself the indignity of losing an election.
Bad government 101. VOTE TO GIVE YOURSELF A PAY RAISE !
What a f**l.
Where is it, will we have to wait in line outside , is there a pubic gallery ,can I take pictures ,is there a guided tour available .
Eat them out, drink them out, and vote them out lol
The article above stated that:
“The government as well as public servants have long expressed the need for improved compensation in government. Many leave the public service for better salaries and benefits in the local private sector as well as in Canada, the US and the United Kingdom”.
It is very easy to say “better salaries” when it should be “more compensation” being that the average pay and standard of living in any economy is based on:
the results of economic activity derived from the size of the injection of investments (internal and foreign),
the available and suitable skills of the working population, and
the level of government regulations.
Some of us want the minimum wage to be $10 an hour instead of the current $6 when in other OTs, except Bermuda, it is similar to what we have now:
Bermuda USD$15.75 and thinking about going to about $16.40 per hour in 2023, population 61K. Bermuda monitors there economic activity very closely and heavily regulates it, right down to how many cars per household, the joblessness, financial service industry, the tourism industry, the cleanliness of its country, the bus service. Bermuda is heavily regulated. Is BVI ready for that!
Cayman USD$6.00, pop. 68K
Turks & Caicos USD$6.00, pop.45k
Anguilla – no minimum wage and pop is at about 11K
Montserrat – no min. wage and pop. is 5K
On the other hand, the USA government (federal level) is at 7.25 per hour. Some states retained the $7.25 while on average among the 52 states is between 7.25 and $13 per hour. The population of the USD is 330Million while BVI is 30K and the working population is about 18K. Wake up people! Get your economic facts straight! Expect more regulation similar to Bermuda to get a higher minimum wage rate!
before NDP, but including that “club,” increments have been over due, plus over due.
How much longer Lord!?! Thee obvious, given the enormous of spending taken place since VIP became the government is a stupendous amount.
Meanwhile, people are barely getting by with their mouths closed but belly empty, and a daily rise in animosity. The whip will break very soon as people will not continue to be disadvantaged. while a few live real good. People are tired. Since early 2000 and people can’t get what they work for yet.
When people had enough of the shite, there will no street unoccupied and no job being attended. The people will rise up in their anger and rebel and shut the whole country down.
When will enough exploitation be enough? When will the least fortunate needs be taken into consideration.
Government/elected leaders, Will you wait until the revolution starts, or will you be proactive and do right by the people.
The people are looking on in silence, but their temperature is slowly rising.
Thanks for speaking the truth Damion. Government is broke and hugely inefficient in some areas. There are some great civil servants but many who are dead wood. Time for some rationalization, which will produce the money for higher remuneration for those talents who remain.
Soo all that talk …You for the raise or not ? Thas the problem in the BVI . All sorts of forum and talk NO one has a clear idea of what to do and how to do it. The public service needs better salaries and better regulations. THAT IS ALL.
Grange is right.. THE MONEY THEY SPEND ON THE REVIEW PWC – THEY COULD HAVE ADDED TO THE SALARIES. But a smart person would know that PWC is a one time payment. The salaries are something the govt has no clue of how to fund on a recurrent basis. The truth is the BVI is now the bottom of the barrel UKOT wise
Cayman and Bermuda, TCI and then BVI. The TCI gave increases to public servants. Their gdp/ capital is lower than here. Here locals and expats in the same posting work for different salaries. Salaries that not even advertised. But then they want people to have the vested interest in the BVI. This place could be paradise . Right now it isn’t. 5 years of direct rule could transform here in a flash – so much potential , but bereft of proper leadership and worst of all bereft of ideas for growth and development.
These people know how to waste money. Pay up all increments due and add an extra increment to adjust for increase cost of living. You do not need a compensation review. Hospital did the same crap some years ago and still have not implemented any of the recommendations. It’s just a delay and a look good tactics that they engage in thinking we are mentally derived.
you missed the bit about `bermuda being in debt to the tune of about $3.5billion compared to BVI at about $150million.
Also USA pays service workers not a dime per hour as what they are offered is only to cover taxes, all they make it tips from service in many states.
To sort the country out they need to make a simple change, now people won’t like it but here it is and can solve the majority of the problems in one easy step.
Retirement age and time for public officers to be the same for the general workforce, and that they all pay the same as the general workforce into the pension pot.
No more retiring on full benefits after working 25yrs , people retired at 45yrs old taking full government pension and then starting full time work elsewhere.
Thats the solution….
If they want to raise money to pay increment for public officers, all they have to do is charge duty on the millions of dollars worth of things necker Island, Oil Nut Bay etc. are bringing in duty free with all of these aids and exemptions.
Absolutely! Government(s) has always given in to their tough negotiations and false promises, and have given them the kitchen, stove, frig, livestock and all the food.
Meanwhile, locals collect nothing more than a slave wage for a days work, while the sell out and pocket fillers live high along with them.
Will these islands ever find decent, moral, ethical, honest and none-greedy leaders ever again?.
Notice: If you have some one in your family with the above qualities, please. urge them to come forward, contest with the aim of rehabilitating our country at home and abroad.
We have had enough of those whose only mission is to be in the pockets of the rich while plundering the treasury and coffers of its loot.
Them before me did it so i going in to do the same, so shut up One was told. How can anyone local or other have any confidence in such an elected to do right by and for the people? Some need to be convinced otherwise fe sho!
He is a Jamdown with so much voice in our country
Such is life in bewe eye.