Cabinet approves pay raises … after elections

And in case you were wondering whether government’s election machinery is running properly, a release from Cabinet today says that in its meeting on Thursday that body was briefed on the state of preparedness of the Elections and Boundaries Department to conduct not only the general election but also any proposed referendum on an elected Senate. We are not privy to the contents of that briefing, but it was conducted by the Director of the Department of Governance, Myrtle Palacio. Palacio is the supervisor of Acting Chief Elections Officer, Ruth Meighan, and it is widely assumed that Palacio will be running things this election, as she did in 2003 when she held Meighan’s post. Cabinet has also taken the unusual step of asking Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon to send a team of observers to Belize for the elections. According to Cabinet Secretary Bobby Leslie, Belize’s elections have always been a model of transparency and orderly conduct and since the Commonwealth has been such a strong backer of Belize’s sovereignty, it is important that we show that collection of nations that we are worthy of their support.

In other election oriented news from cabinet the ministers not surprisingly gave their support to the Prime Minister’s previously announced suggestion of a salary increase for public officers effective April first. The amount of the salary increases has not been finalised however, and the consultations that will precede the raise-a-pay will conveniently not take place until after the elections. However, cabinet did approve a more specific change in pay scales for the Belize Defence Force which it says will effectively raise soldiers’ salaries between five and eight percent. It was also agreed to bring B.D.F. retirement benefits more in line with those enjoyed by other government employees.