Over $76M to pay civil servants, excluding Payroll Taxes, SS, NHI & Statutory subventions
While testifying before the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee (SFC) last year on the 2024 budget, many statistics were unearthed.
A bloated civil service?
Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Deputy Governor's Office Mrs Sharleen S. Dabreo-Lettsome MBE told the committee of the House that last year 2895 persons were in the public service. At the end of November 2023, there were 2515, a difference of 380 persons. There was a slight increase between 2019 and 2022, according to the PS, followed by a drastic reduction in the numbers in the public service.
According to the PS, there are 52 Heads of Department (7 on contract, 1 on a local contract, and 6 on overseas contracts). Currently, 2.5 percent of the public service workforce is on contract. Contractual arrangements are in different areas (i.e. law enforcement, teaching administration, environmental health, law enforcement, financial, marine surveying and nursing).
It is unclear where the over 40 UK Police Officers being paid by the Virgin Islands' taxpayers fall in this number.
Big Civil Service Bill
Mrs Dabreo-Lettsome claimed that they are trying to bring VIslanders into leadership positions; however, she did not present any evidence of how this is to be achieved.
However, she stated that the personal emolument paid as of November 30, 2023, was $76 million ($76,669,359.65) inclusive of salaries, allowances, and wages, but that amount excludes social security payroll tax, and other statutory deductions.
She further said the total amount of increments paid as of November 30, 2023 was $ 10.9 million. To date there are 2209 eligible officers, she stated. Work continues and will be finalised by December 31, with the remaining retirees, and the finalisation of payment in addition to the three salary adjustments for officers, the PS in the Deputy Governor's Office stated.
More talk
The PS also noted that a substantial amount of money is being paid for allowances ($6.6 million). With the compensation review, there has been a call for a consolidation of a number of those allowances, which should show a reduction in the allowances being paid, however, the PS did not explain what was the proposal on the table for the reduction and consolidation.
Persons should also understand that these statistics are only for the civil service or (central government), they are not for statutory bodies e.g. BVI Ports Authority, BVI Tourist Board, BVI Airports Authority etc.
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26 Responses to “Over $76M to pay civil servants, excluding Payroll Taxes, SS, NHI & Statutory subventions”
Money is a motivating factor, and people who are depressed and can't make ends meet will not perform well at work. Before making assumptions about public servants' work ethic, these factors should be considered.
The figures provided as per the Topic Issue are yet to be proven true.
People have been given hope and promises for decades now.
People see no easing if their misery in sight.
Yet, people see eected officials continue to establish legislation to enrich themselves, while totally ignoring the financial pains of the people.
Peopl a re tired of the in face, we goun keep looking out fo we, all yo could gio suck salt.
Some one in that party. needs to go against the status quo and advocate for the increments of Retired Senior Citizens be paid forthwith... They can't feed themselves, drink a glass of water, pay a doctor or buy medicines when they are dead..
Seniors deserve better gentemen and ladies.
Really, I mean effin really???.
For starters, a) system needs to be centralized under the central government. Under the current system the civil service falls under the UK-appointed Governor but it is funded by the VI taxpayers and staff is hired and supervised by local government. This structure is inefficient and ineffective but there is a reason for the madness, ie, UK needs it for power and control. b) perform a creative destruction process to determine the optimal, ideal number of employees, c) consolidate and eliminate duplicative functions, d) review the cost and effectiveness of statutory bodies, especially, if they have to be subsidized by central government, e)set minimum performance standards for employees and hold supervisor and employer responsible and accountable, f)require each department to develop and implement a business plan, g) leverage technology to enhance service delivery, h) develop and implement and execute a functional performance appraisal system with periodic reviews, i) lessens the bureaucracy, etc.
Truth be told, the civil service, though often caricatured, is the lifeblood that carries oxygen for delivering public services, the engine which drives public service/government.