The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

AFTER some public servants complained that incremental increases were not accurately reflected in their monthly pay, Labour and Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said yesterday that payments were made on time.

She said some employees did not consider the rollout of the increased National Insurance Board contribution rate and its impact, leading to concerns.

“We advise all public servants to ensure they are taking into account all related salary deductions, inclusive of NIB when calculating their expected monthly compensation,” she said in a statement. “For any persons who may have been inadvertently excluded from receiving payments due to systemic issues, we will address these select cases as a matter of urgency.”

“Additionally, as annual increments are intended to mitigate the impact of inflation on public servant pay, we also note the need to review this situation to ensure that the current increment schedule is having the intended impact.”

She reiterated that the government is conducting a salary review across the public sector, adding that concerns surrounding inflation, the NIB rate increase, and other factors will be considered.

She said the review is part of the government’s efforts to ensure that public servants’ wages reflect “the reality of living in a 21st century Bahamas.”

“I have reached out to the president of the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU), Kimsley Ferguson, to clarify this matter,” she added.

“In the meantime, we will continue to expedite our agenda, which has included salary increases for thousands of public servants through 32 successfully negotiated labour agreements, the minimum wage increase, and over two thousand promotions throughout the public service. More information will be made available on the planned salary increases as the public service salary review nears completion.”