His Excellency Governor Ric Todd has announced that the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) can reinstate the 10% pay cut made previously from public servants’ salaries it was announced today, Fri, 2 Nov 2012.
The Governor explained that the Interim Administration has carefully examined the affordability of reinstating the pay cut and believes that this would now be affordable from 1 Feb 2013.
The restoration has been an intention of the Governor’s Office for some time and, indeed, new Deputy Governor Anya Williams, again raised this topic with UK ministers when in London in the first week of her appointment in October.
In the circumstances the Governor has concluded that the newly elected Government would have to agree to this proposal in accordance with two conditions:
1. That any reinstatement takes into account the conclusions and recommendations of the TCIG Pay and Grading review
2. That the incoming elected Government following the ballot on Fri, 9 Nov 2012 is satisfied that the reinstatement continues to be affordable alongside its other expenditure priorities.
“I have always expressed my support and admiration for the dedicated and professional public servants of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” said Governor Ric Todd. “When the pay cut was announced it was made clear that we would work to restore it at the earliest possible opportunity.
“I am delighted, therefore, to be able to make this announcement. I have often repeated our commitment to doing so at the earliest opportunity. Taking into account the significant economic and political progress made in the Turks and Caicos particularly over the past year, and the healthy indications of the Quarter 2 financial data published on 29 Oct, we closely examined the affordability of this measure and proposed it to UK Ministers. This has now been agreed to subject to the agreement of the new House of Assembly who need to consider its affordability alongside the other spending priorities of the new government.”
Subsequent to the Governors statement RTC News spoke with the Governors press Officer after the story was released today.
Anya Williams, Deputy Governor, added, “It is our intention to examine all pay and grading issues in order to more properly recognise the vital role of our public servants in the TCI. This is an important first step to seeing pay rates restored as part of our continuing programme to make the public service even better. It is only right and proper that our civil and public servants, teachers, health professionals, uniformed services and emergency responders are properly remunerated for their achievements.”
This 10% deduction was previously made as part of measures taken to reduce Turks and Ciacos islands Government expenditure following the financial collapse of the previous administration in 2010.
