GOB implements cost-saving measures, no jobs lost

By BBN Staff: The Government of Belize (GOB) has settled on the measures to curtail expenses in light of the economic impact of COVID-19, which will avoid the retrenchment of any public officers.

The measures include a foregoing of the annual salary increment for public servants; a hold on salary and benefit increases for contract officers; a 25 percent reduction in housing and entertainment allowance for public servants as well as a 50 percent reduction in those allowances for contract officers, senior managers, and chief
executive officers; and a 5 percent reduction of gratuity payment for contract officers receiving housing and entertainment allowance, as well as a 10 percent reduction in gratuity for contract officers not receiving housing and entertainment allowance. All the measures will be implemented for the period May 1, 2020 -April 30, 2021.

“These measures shall apply across the board to all government employees in the requisite category of employment,” said Financial Secretary Joseph Waight. “This shall yield a further cost saving of 3-5 % of current expenditure while ensuring that no single job is lost.”

Notably, the foregoing of the annual increment, unlike the previous proposal discussed with the various unions negotiating with GOB, calls for a permanent foregoing rather than a postponement or deferral. The measures come into effect on May 1.

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