In a surprising end of year letter from the Deputy Governor David Archer to Public Officers dated 29 December 2023, the Cabinet has made the decision to complete outstanding increment payments by 2027, based on availability of funding. This move pushes increment payments back by a shocking four years. 

Based on a Compensation Review done by PriceWaterHouseCoopers, Government has allocated some $10 million dollars to address salary improvements under the recommendations of the review, however, no allowances have been made to clear outstanding increments to Government workers. 

“As we close 2023, I am sharing an update on the status of payments of outstanding increments to public officers and salary progressions based on the new salary structure. On Wednesday, 13th December, Cabinet decided that all outstanding increment arrears for the Public Service are to be paid by 2027, subject to the availability of funding and barring any unforeseen circumstances. Cabinet has also decided that the ongoing increment salary adjustments for the period 2020-2022, scheduled to be completed in December 2023, should also include the adjustment of a step for the 2023 incremental work year. However, the arrears for 2023 increments will also be paid by 2027, subject to the availability of funding and barring any unforeseen circumstances.” The letter stated. 

The payment of outstanding increments have been a point of contention and frustration for Civil Servants over the past few years, with no end in sight in the unfortunate saga. 

The Government however, has budgeted some $2.7 million dollars just for official travel in 2024. 

Broad sections of the community continue to question the Government’s priorities.