PM announces salary increase for civil servants in St. Kitts | Caribbean
BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris announced a 10 per cent pay rise for public sector workers on Monday.
This will benefit over 9,000 workers in the Twin Islands Federation.
“I am pleased to announce that my government has determined that our civil servants, retirees and STEP workers will receive a significant increase in wages, salaries and pensions at the rate of 10% and this will be retroactive to January 2022,” Harris said. in a show marking Labor Day.
“This is another clear example of our investment in our people as we put more money in the pockets of many of our citizens and residents. These resources will result in an increase in the purchasing power of approximately 4,000 salaried civil servants, 1,064 state auxiliaries, 1,365 pensioners and 2,800 STEP workers,” he added.
Harris, who faces a vote of no confidence after several members of his Team Unity coalition tabled necessary paperwork in parliament last week, said workers engaged in the Skills Training Empowerment Program (STEP) are on the verge of becoming auxiliary workers of the government allowing them to enjoy greater job security.
He said the regularization process will continue over the next few months.
“The Select Committee and the Human Resources Management Department have completed the necessary work to facilitate the integration of the first group of STEP workers into the civil service as state auxiliaries. Over the past two weeks, hundreds of people have received letters offering permanent government jobs.
Harris outlined other measures that have been implemented by his government to cushion the impact of the steep rise in the cost of living, including reducing the fuel import excise tax from 2.25 EC$ per gallon at 0.95 EC$ cents per gallon beginning in April. to September of this year.
He said the government had also granted an increase in the margin for service station distributors of 0.30 euro cents and that the fuel subsidy program would be extended for another six months.
Income and disability support programs have been extended for another three months and will target people who remain unemployed due to job loss due to the pandemic, and those whose incomes have been significantly reduced.
The government said the customs exemption usually allowed in December has been reintroduced from May 1 to September 30 and households will be able to import 500 pounds of groceries duty and tax free.
The government will introduce an eight-month cap on the cost of freight used in the calculation of duties and taxes paid on the importation of goods.
“This cap will help to moderate the price increase due to the increase in the cost of freight. Let me take this opportunity to express very clearly the firm expectations of this government that all suppliers must pass on the benefits of this concession. on consumers facing rising prices,” Harris said.
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