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Too much confusion over increments, come clean- Willock

The former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Julian Willock, has questioned the confusion over payment of increments to public officers, and said official should come clean as to the hold ups. Photo: GIS/File
Regarding confusion and delays over the payment of increments to civil servants, Mr Julian Willock has suggested a conversation with the Deputy Governor David D. Archer Jr, right, and Governor John J. Rankin, left, who are both in charge of the civil service. Photo: Facebook/VINO/File
Regarding confusion and delays over the payment of increments to civil servants, Mr Julian Willock has suggested a conversation with the Deputy Governor David D. Archer Jr, right, and Governor John J. Rankin, left, who are both in charge of the civil service. Photo: Facebook/VINO/File
BAUGHERS BAY, Tortola, VI- In an interview on the Talking Points radio show hosted by Violet Thomas-Gaul on Monday, May 29, 2023, the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Julian Willock, has questioned the confusion over payment of increments to public officers.

Mr Willock, a former public officer himself, noted that in the last four years two Ministers of Finance, former Premier Andrew A. Fahie and current Minister of Finance Dr Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), have told the public that the monies are in the Budget to pay civil servants their increments.

If the money is there what is the issue?-Willock

He noted that over the past four years, there has been confusion as to why increments cannot be paid if the funds have been allocated via the Appropriation Acts.

Mr Willock opined that officials “ought to come clean and clear the air on the real reasons behind the years-long delays in the payment of increments to public officers.”

The former Speaker and former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works noted that he has been given all kinds of reasons for the long delays. “I was told, for example, because in some departments all officers’ paperwork was not ready, so they will not send in any until all [are ready].”

He noted, in other cases, he has been told: “Some supervisors and Heads of Departments are not doing their part.”

Stop the confusion

However, Mr Willock stated that with the money being in the Budget for the past 4 years someone needs to come clean and tell public officers what is going on, where are the blockages in the system, and who is to be held accountable.

“I think somebody needs to come clean on the increment issues, as there are too many mixed messages,” Willock said on the Talking Points radio show aired on ZBVI 780 AM.

Mr Willock suggested a conversation with the Deputy Governor and Governor, who are both in charge of the civil service.

Interviewer and co-host of Talking Points Damion C. Grange noted; however, that the Governor was recently on the show and assured residents that public servants increments will be paid in June 2023, however, Public Officers are waiting to see if this will happen.

24 Responses to “Too much confusion over increments, come clean- Willock”

  • Margret Thatcher (06/06/2023, 10:46) Like (8) Dislike (12) Reply
    the man speaking good as always
  • civservant (06/06/2023, 11:10) Like (20) Dislike (3) Reply
    they robbing us 3 years of arrears that is illegal
    • ??? (06/06/2023, 12:50) Like (25) Dislike (0) Reply
      SOME, yes some of y'all civservants don't deserve increments. your attitude stinks, quality of service to the public sucks and you just sit there all day as if we the public are begging and disturbing you from scrolling facebook, tictock instagram and shopping online. yall forget is the tax payers money does pay yall. Ayo come for me, but it's the truth....the whole truth. Some are very much deserving!
  • Comment (06/06/2023, 12:07) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    The department heads are not being properly penalized for their insubordination. As usual, there remains a double standard when enforcing public office management regulations. Most Permanent Secretaries are diligent to discipline the supporting staff when requested by management but chooses to write long emails that are often dismissed by the departments directors. This remains an ongoing management issue that greatly hinders the productivity of the Public Service...as we all can see here.
  • telling yuh (06/06/2023, 13:38) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Customs department bosses are the worst worst and their HR guy they only care about their self and tell employees liessss
    • You Think? (06/06/2023, 15:40) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      If you think Customs bad you should see social development. Set of wickedness and liars.
  • Resolution... (06/06/2023, 14:17) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Deputy Governor should proceed to implement surcharges on management for non-compliance to time quotas. I bet they will do their jobs!
  • good man (06/06/2023, 15:26) Like (6) Dislike (1) Reply
    Thank God for willock
  • Crooks (06/06/2023, 15:39) Like (19) Dislike (0) Reply
    They have managers rating employees at the lowest grades to prevent them from getting any increment. Hardworking capable employees get a 2 from their managers and them who cant do bullcrap or pull their weight at work get 3.5. this is a very discriminatory system. and even though they got two the 2 cents them suppose to get cant show up. but the manager who grade herself a 3.5 got hers.
  • Socrates (06/06/2023, 16:30) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Are increments and cost of living allowance (Cola) the same thing? Can people get both increment and Cola? Does everyone qualify for increment? Should increment be based on merit, ie, performance evaluations, etc? Who has the final say on the fairness and equity of performance evaluations? Do people who fail to conduct performance evaluations on subordinates own personal evaluation downgraded in the appropriate performance traits? Do supervisors who fail to conduct evaluations on subordinates get increments before their employees? Does everyone, ie, poor performers and top performers get the same percentage increase in
    Increment? If so does this methodology contributes to under performances? What is the criteria for Cola? Is Cola peg to some metric? Does not civil servants fall under the purview of Governor? Should not the Governor then ensure that they get increments on time? How much compensation does the UK contribute for paying civil servants? So the local government fund civil servants pay but the Governor is in charge of civil servants? If the funding has been authorized and appropriated why can’t the Premier who is also Minister of Finance decree that all increments be paid instantly? Should the Premier also revamp the increment and other compensation system(s)?
    • Frig.... (06/06/2023, 18:21) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      @ Socrates, you are Frig.... mai son with dem probing questions. Ar we gwoing geh any answers? One questions I gah thoug is if you retired or leave government are you still entitled to increments since increments are supposedly not part of core compensation package, I don’t think.
      • guy hill (07/06/2023, 06:01) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        @Frig... you can get increment if its owed to you after you retire.
        • Frig… (07/06/2023, 08:08) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
          Ok, I hear you but it is still a frig… I would think that when one put in for retirement that all compensation, ie, regular pay, sick leave, accumulated vacation, increments, monthly. Annuity, etc would be settled before you walk out the door. But the the Frig..do I know I’m just a frig…
    • Frig… (07/06/2023, 08:25) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      “ What is the criteria for Cola? Is Cola peg to some metric? Does not civil servants fall under the purview of Governor? Should not the Governor then ensure that they get increments on time? How much compensation does the UK contribute for paying civil servants?” Now that is that is a colonialist untouchable, do what I want frig…..You can boast of having self-governance as long as I do what I want and tell you to do. Is that a frig? What the frig is the Constitutional Review Committee doing? In the end will we end up with the status quo, the same boiler plate crap as the other OTs? Here is a news flash Mount Olympus. All OTs are not the same; they have unique features, different experiences, etc. The cookie cutter approach is crap. CRC, BVI needs meaningful and functional political status change. If no, the process was just an exercise in futility, spinning our wheels in quick sand. Fri…out.
  • YOU START OFF GOOD ???? (06/06/2023, 20:01) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    BUT YOU GOR NE BACK TO BLOGGING AND PRAISING YOURSELF AGAIN , TO WHAT YOU WRITE ✍️ USING DIFFERENT NAMES
    WE KNOW YOUR STYLE , / SO YOU ONLY FOOLING YOURSELF ????
  • LL (06/06/2023, 23:27) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Customs is not the only department with an hr priblem. For long time police hr are not doing what they suppose to do and I have heard from the grape vine that the police is last to get their increments again because hr is not doing what they suppose to do. Bear nonsence in this place.
  • owl (06/06/2023, 23:30) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hr staff needs to be held accountable. They too wicked.
  • tola (07/06/2023, 00:30) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thank you Mr Willock and then want throw 250k party
  • bvi (07/06/2023, 07:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The staff has been on the job for how many years, pay the people. Hon Wheatley said on the media that the Government is not broke so cleared what is owed and start a new holding all the heads of department accountable.
  • Dept. Agri. (07/06/2023, 08:16) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I want mines please and thanks I work hard for it
  • What is an increment?? (08/06/2023, 08:48) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Come clean?? What are you all talking about??
    I am pretty sure it's some kind of money give away. Some kind of thing that takes money away from schools, hospitals and roads. So who you giving the money to?? Names Please??
    When we have names and amounts we have the truth. Just like the farmers fisher-person stimulus. Who you give money to and how much??
    • @ What is an increment (08/06/2023, 11:27) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      (So who you giving the money to?? Names Please??) All Public Service Officers...now go find all the names Idiot!
  • Retiree Civil Servant (08/06/2023, 10:36) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I've retiree going on 2 years.Received my owed increment last week


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