Minister Coye on Increase for Non-Established Government Workers
Christopher Coye
Today, the media caught up with Minister of State for Finance, Christopher Coye and he was asked about the increase in the wage bill. During the budget debate last week, Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton announced that the allotted figures for non-established government workers for the upcoming fiscal year was up by over twenty-three million dollars. The increase in the minimum wage to five dollars is also being reflected in the proposed budget for the 2023/2024 fiscal year. While he was not able to speak on specific details, Minister Coye says that at the macro level, there is also an increase as a result of the pending unfreezing of increments.
Christopher Coye, Minister of State, Finance
“On a macro level, I think the salaries line was about four hundred and forty-eight million as the projected outturn for this current fiscal year and I believe the budget proposed on the emoluments section is a little over four hundred and sixty million or thereabouts. So it is a difference of around twenty million that captures the increment adjustment for public officers. There is also a further line in the transfers and subsidy section that also increases, again capturing for the adjustment or the unfreezing of increments. There certainly will be adjustments due to the minimum wage that would have even occurred in this current fiscal year, but it will be more broadly reflected into the full fiscal year of 2023/2024.”
Reporter
“The thing is that Panton was speaking specifically to non-established staff where you see this exponential increase in wages. You are talking about the application of that increment being unfrozen. So that’s two different things.”
Christopher Coye
“Again, I can’t speak to how many open vote workers and what’s the adjustment for open work voters – whether it is to do with minimum wages or an increase in the staff compliment. I am just telling you on a macro basis what the adjustment in the fiscal year numbers reflects.”
