Cabinet Rescinds Phone Allowances for CEOs

Today, the Cabinet, during its regular session in Belmopan, decided to rescind the government’s decision to allow for an increase in the phone allowances for C.E.O.’s in the various ministries, as well as those of the Financial Secretary, Joe Waight and the Cabinet Secretary, Stuart Leslie. In a brief press release from the Cab Sec, it states that approval for the increases was granted recently by the Ministry of Finance. It went on to explain that after internal consultation and consideration, the C.E.O. caucus unanimously decided that the approval should be rescinded. The President of the Public Service Union, Dean Flowers, says he welcomes the news to rescind the increase, but he has other concerns.

On the phone: Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“My comments towards the half-hearted release – and why do I call it half-hearted – because you cannot mix up the ham with the hammer. Do not hypocritically state that this proposed and approved increase was because public officers get increments and public officers get promotion. Let’s stop this nonsense. You were caught with your hand in the cookie jar. Accept that you did wrong, apologize and move on. Don’t try to justify nonsense by saying that this is a reward for the hard work and performance of the CEOs. So, from my personal view, I just had to express how I felt.”