The Anguilla House of Assembly has agreed to a legislative change which will put civil servant pay increases on pause for a 16th but “final” year.
The Allowances (Temporary) Reduction (Amendment) Act, 2024 continues the suspension of the annual payment of increments until the current comprehensive salary review is complete.
Premier Ellis Webster, who presented the bill to the assembly on Tuesday, 17 December, reminded members that there has been no public service salary increase since 2008.
In fact, there were two cuts amounting to 15% in 2009 and 2010, he told members, but added that these were later reversed by the current government.
“This administration wants to see public servants compensated appropriately and also to cater for the increased cost of living as years have gone on,” he said.
Webster said that once the salary review is complete, the government will “go on from there with the necessary changes in salary” which will be tied to performance.
A rise in 2025
Innovation minister Quincia Gumbs-Marie told the assembly that this will likely be the “final temporary pause” in increments and civil servants can expect a rise in 2025.
She said following election in 2020, the government was met with a “ready to implement” legislation that recommended a further 5% cut in civil servant salary, which had already been cut by 15%.
“Had we continued with that recommendation, we would have been at the point of 20% reduction of civil servant salary,” she said.
Gumbs-Marie told members that this would have made life very difficult for those who had financial commitments which depended on their current salaries.
Also rising to support the bill, labour minister Kenneth Hodge said he is glad to be part of a team that is listening and is doing something to elevate the standards of this civil service.
“I’m happy that this is happening, I’m full support of it, and I want to wish the civil service of Anguilla well as this process continues.”
Attracting talent
Education minister Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers said one of the main challenges within the public service has been being able to attract and keep the right talent, partly due to the level of financial compensation.
She said when salaries are increased in line with future appraisals, that will be a “definitive step” in proving that the government values every Anguillian who makes a contribution to the island.
Also speaking in support of the bill, infrastructure minister Haydn Hughes said the Anguilla public service does a tremendous amount of work and deserves to be compensated.
On concluding the debate, the premier said that on completion of the salary review and implementation of new scales, the legislative amendment will “go away”.
Following a second and third reading, the bill moved through the committee of the house with no amendments, before being passed into law.
Watch the debate in full below:
