Public officers allowances under review by Ministry
Marian McNab
In a memo dated July sixteen, the Ministry of the Public Service advises that a review of allowances is being undertaken and that in September all allowances will be suspended pending the outcome of the review. The government says that the allowances cost over a million dollars per month and that in some instances they no longer apply. The new directive, however, does not apply to contract officers, who are by far the better paid officers in the employ of government. The process will require a one-month suspension of the payments, but Public Service C.E.O., Marian McNab, told News Five today that where the allowances are justified, it will be re-instated.
Via Phone: Marian McNab, C.E.O., Ministry of Public Service
“The whole process started when, about two months ago, the auditor general paid a visit to the Honorable Charles Gibson, Minister for the Public Service, at a meeting at which I was present and she brought to the minister’s attention certain issues within the public service that were of concern her; all of which had a financial implication. One of those issues was the proliferation of allowances within the public service that the cost of which is, we suspect in the region of approximately one point five million dollars every month after the exercise to address allowances was done for us. It was at the point of realizing what it costs the government of Belize in allowances that the Ministry of the Public Service along with the Ministry of Finance decided that it would be timely to conduct a thorough review of all the allowances in the public service with a view to ascertaining whether all the allowances being paid were indeed being paid for legitimate reason.”
Delahnie Bain
“When will this be done?”
Via Phone: Marian McNab
“We have already started and ministries have been asked to submit a report of the officers currently in receipt of these allowances, the quantum and the purpose. The deadline for the submission of all these reports is the seventeenth of August.”
Delahnie Bain
“And I understand that while the assessment is being done, the allowances are suspended?”
Via Phone: Marian McNab
“For one month; only for the month of September because once all the reports come in at the seventeenth of August, the review will then commence immediately so that review will take place between the seventeenth of August and the middle of October, by which time the allowances would be able to be reinstated by the end of October.”
Delahnie Bain
“And for those who are in fact due the allowances, they will be paid…”
Via Phone: Marian McNab
“Retroactively for the two months. So they will be able to receive the allowance that was frozen in September along with the allowance for October at the end of October. There are certain exemptions from this exercise. The exercise does not include members of the National Assembly, it does not include staff from the office of the Governor General nor members of the Belize Advisory council who are in receipt of an allowance, nor does it include members of the Public Service Commission or contract officers. It’s basically the mainstream public service that is affected.”
If reports are not submitted by the relevant departments, it will be understood that there was no justification for allowances, which will automatically be discontinued. Allowances that are not sufficiently justified will also be stopped.
IT’S PUBLIC MONEY, LET’S PUBLISH THE ALLOWANCES SO EVERYONE CAN KNOW WHO HAS HIS HANDS IN OUR COOKIE JAR, AND HOW FAR.
Good job. A lot of people are ripping taxpayers off. However the contract workers should fall under the microscope too.
I like this government. If they feel there are irregularities with money, they check into it, and correct wrongs, even if it takes to have a cold face. Lets see where the money goes, and get back on track. Thanks to the GOB for being transparent
This is a very good check and balance. However, if they are honest people and truely have good intentions, their findings must be publicised to the Belizean Public along with the adjustments so that we can be satisfied of the transparency in this matter. My hope is that the big fishes who are getting outrageous allowancies, eg: Ministry of Tourism, Minister’s Driver, finance etc be addressed and that the ones who are getting rediculous allowancies such as, Teachers and the “POLICE”, who by the way deserve better, get there due allowancies. Once again, that is if they are honest and transparent in the matter, then we will all be informed. Otherwise this is just another political fiasco.
P.S. notice that both Education and Police ministry have budget cut when they are the one’s who deserve and need it most. What is wrong with the ministers, don’t they see that they are not using the fiscal budget to their max, that to me means they are not doing their job to best utilise the monies alocated for the ministry’s best interest….uhg, come on!
Belizean. Tha people like you whey have this country ina the dirt box you no see they the thief outright tha whey you live must be under a rock worse gov and most corrupt in the history of this great nation the only country in the world where murderers thiefs rapist are paid to stay home nd do what they do best maybe you di get paid to belizean go check you head please.
I comment the efforts of the ministry but why only certain public servant will be affected when ALL public servants should be treated the same? What is the message being portrayed by this act; that some people are untouchable? Tax payers need to be inform and know how their monies are being spent in the entire public service.
After this they should take a close look at the high cost of Government Fuel being spent each month unnecessarily by certain privileged people. I believe that if all government vehicle are park after working hour the government would save millions each year and we wouldn’t be in a deficit.
What no check on the ministries contract workers allowance, no they also must have a check done on theirs. These persons along with their administrative officers and finance officers need to be checked too as their approve all allowances given to each of them and they get it pronto and don’t have to wait too long for it like the others, while the regular public officers have to kiss their @$$#$ to get their mesly allowance or anything due to them, Check on them too, its only fair to do so.
If members from the opposition party are invited to a participate in this initiative, I think the findings would be more accurate & transparent for the Belizean people to see.
These are allowances received by all ranks of the Police Dept, excluding civilians. Apart from these Commissioner get other allowances, which are not disclosed.
Detective Allowance (for investigative units) $100.00/month
Plain Clothes $300 / month for officer who work in plain clothes (this can not even buy an underwear)
Housing Allowance $145/ month cannot even rent a room with that allowanec
Jungle allowance (for paramilitary units) $100/month
Hardship $75.00/month for officer working in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Independence
IT Allowance $200/month for officers working in the IT Unit
Maritime Allowance $75 /month for officers who also have duties at sea
Height Allowance $50/ month for offiecrs working at the Signals Unit
Instructors Allowance f$50/month for instructors at the Academy
The normal patrol officer only gets the Housing Allowance, with the exception of those posted at San Pedro Caye caulker and Independence.
GSU personnel receive all allowance with the exception of IT, Instructors and height. Moreover they are the only unit that gets an additional $500 monthly Risk Allowance.
Most officers posted in specialized Units with the exception of GSU receive $375.00 in allowances monthly , be it Detective, Jungle, Maritime ect which are also taxable. This is apart from their base salaries. If these allowances are taken away from us, it will adversely affect our already low financial stability, which in some cases may further lead to the downfall of police moral and subsequent increase of corruption. GOB’s stance is well if those who do no t deserve any allowance is taken away from them, however if the good pay for the bad, it will be detrimental.