Basseterre, St. Kitts, November 20, 2016 (SKNIS): Civil Servants, auxiliary workers and pensioners on the government’s payroll have reason for a joyful Carnival and Christmas season because more will be in their pockets to spend.
In a radio and television national address on November 19, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, announced an extra month’s salary in December for government employees and pensioners, along with other economic benefits.
“Cabinet in its deliberation on Friday determined that the following will be offered to government employees in December this year: An extra month’s salary to all civil servants, auxiliary workers, and pensioners on the government’s payroll. This represents a thirteen month salary or an 8.3% bonus to government employees and pensioners. This payout will benefit not only federal employees and pensioners but also those on the payroll of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA),” Prime Minister Harris, who is also Minister of Finance said.
Prime Minister Harris attributes the country’s good economic performance to the excellent fiscal management of his government under his watch as minister of finance and prime minister, and says that the entire country must share in the economic blessings as a result.
“We appreciate that 2016 so far has been a very good one for us. We have been an above average performer not just in the OECS, CARICOM, ECLAC, but in the wide world. All three of our fiscal accounts: the recurrent, overall and primary accounts have been in surplus from January to October. We are gratified by this excellent performance of our fiscal house. We credit this to the satisfaction of economic actors in the policies of the people’s Team Unity Government. We are committed to ensure that all share in the economic fortunes of our country,” he said.
Dr. Harris encouraged employers in the private sector to follow his government’s lead in giving a bonus to their employees.
“My government encourages all entities in the public and private sectors to make a very special effort to deliver a gratuitous payment to their employees in December. The Ministry of Finance will work with CFBC and other governmental agencies to make things happen. We estimate that potentially EC$30 million will be pumped into the economy as a consequence of this bonus by the government. The multiplier effect of this sum will be significant at this time of the year,” Dr. Harris said.