Civil servants told things may change in 2012/13
A 3.2 per cent pay reduction implemented in the current government budget as a cost-saving measure will remain in the upcoming spending plan, Cayman Islands civil servants were informed last month.
The salary cut began on 1 July, 2010 and applied across-the-board to all workers in the central government service as well as some in Cayman’s statutory authorities and government-owned companies.
However, according to Civil Service Association President James Watler, the pay cut is still expected to be a “temporary” measure and he indicated officials had promised to consider restoring the 3.2 per cent of salary in the 2012/13 budget year.
The government’s upcoming budget for the 2011/12 year is due to start on 1 July.
Premier McKeeva Bush issued a memo last month stating the government’s projected central government deficit was $4.6 million as of 5 May. That means government revenues were not expected to be sufficient to meet its expenses through the end of the budget year on 30 June. Since that memo was issued, public statements by the premier have indicated that the deficit was actually larger than $4.6 million.
Mr. Bush has requested that the civil service make cutbacks that would leave central government with a $15 million operating surplus to fund various issues.
Mr. Watler said he understood the position government was in, and asked civil servants to do the same.
“I would ask my membership to be patient,” he said. “[The pay cut] is a sacrifice that we’re making.”
Mr. Watler said the civil service association supported the pay cut in 2010, and would continue to do so in the coming year.
“We don’t have a problem with it,” he said. “We know the financial position government is in.”
Premier Bush has previously stated that the United Kingdom government has delayed the proposal of Cayman’s budget because it wishes to see greater cuts made in personnel costs within the civil service. Mr. Bush has said he did not wish to see civil servants salaries or benefits cut, but that the decision on the matter would be left up to the governor and deputy governor.
Mr. Watler declined to comment on any budget issues because he said he has not seen the document.
Budget delay
Precisely when the public will get to see Cayman’s 2011/12 budget proposal wasn’t known. The spending plan was first expected in early May, then delayed to 17 May and delayed further.
Tentative proposals to introduce the spending plan today (Friday) have been scuttled and government officials hinted that the plan could be proposed by late next week, although no firm date has been set.
Timing is crucial for the plan, which must – by law – be approved by 30 June.
If the budget is proposed on Thursday, 9 June, for instance, it would give legislators a total of 15 working days to debate the premier’s budget address and governor’s throne speech, meet in finance committee to go through the budget line-by-line, and then vote for or against it.
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I hope the pay cut is by salary grade with the MLAs taking the biggest cut!
Because I recall when they had an LA meeting on the subject, ALL of them refuse to cut their own salaries by at least 10 percent, BUT LEFT THE HOUSE CUTTING THE ENTIRE CIVIL SERVICE 3.2 flat.
And the Premier said, he would have cut his 20 to 30 percent! All of them, flip-flop on the people! Not one of them stood up to be an example of fiscal discipline!
The Civil Servant, a mother with kids, making below 2000 has to endure the 3.2 and the bills, whilst the MLA making 10 to 15 thousand a month, felt nothing, no cut like how she did.
They began to compared themselves with the rest of the Civil Service and cowardly and for love of money, cut everybody 3.2 percent.
This just shows you, not one of them had their own government workers interest at heart – but their own!
Boddden:
If what you say is correct (and I am not disputing it; I simply do not know whether it is, but I have heard no denial of it), this is yet another disgraceful example of the greedy and irresponsible behaviour of our politicians. Snouts and troughs….