Will Increments of Public Officers Remain Frozen?

Dean Flowers

The increments for public officers and teachers have been frozen since the COVID-19 pandemic began three years ago. Increments are governed by Public Service Regulations, and the joint unions’ negotiating team has been clamouring for their reinstatement. And with the budget presentation fast approaching, the unions are making their demands known. It is one of many contentious issues with the Government of Belize, and at a press conference last week, the JUNT said “April first, or else.” This morning, the leadership of the Public Service Union, the Belize National Teachers Union, and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers appeared on Open Your Eyes to discuss just that. As yearly appraisals are being conducted, G.O.B.’s decision removed increments regardless of the outcome of the appraisal. P.S.U. President Dean Flowers says it’s a slap in the face that government wants to extend the increment freeze.

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“The economy is rebounding, the super bond has been restructured and we now have the Blue Bond. The government has not returned to the House [of Representatives] after passing a billion dollar budget to pass supplemental in one year to the tune of three hundred million dollars, which means that on the backs of public officers, fiscal space has been created for the government to continue the exact same thing that they criticise the Barrow Administration of – borrowing, borrowing in your children name. Now, the government came to us for a savings of fifty-one million over three years. They’ve spent three hundred million in one year. Am I supposed to take them seriously when they speak about austerity? And then am I supposed to take them seriously and listen to them when they say they need to keep public officers’ increments frozen for an additional year with no guarantee that it will be reinstated in 2024 because that is where the further slap in the face comes when the prime minister says that he is not prepared to reinstate anything, but he is prepared to resume.  And he wanted to be clear on that. And he will resume on two conditions.”