It looks like public servants may have a very merry Christmas this year, as the CPO's Office has offered the Public Services Association a 10% wage increase as promised by the new government.
The confirmation came today from PSA President Felisha Thomas, who recommitted her promise of putting monies in public servants pockets by Christmas. Rynessa Cutting reports.
00:00Public servants look to be one step closer to cashing in on their back pay after today's meeting with the PSA and the CPO.
00:09I'm happy to say to the membership of the PSA this afternoon that another promise made is another promise delivered.
00:17We have in our hand delivered by acting CPO Ms. Wendy Barton an offer of 10% which the PSA will be responding to by this evening
00:27because as we have said our main aim is to ensure that we close these negotiations and put some monies in our members' pockets by Christmas and that stands.
00:40Questioned where the funds will come from given that the settlement was not factored into the budget.
00:45This was her response.
00:47The government has made a commitment and I'm quite sure the commitment wasn't made just like that.
00:54The government will deliver. Yes, the offer is on the table and I'm quite sure that the bookers will receive their back pay.
01:02Thomas did not share information as to the details of the offer.
01:07It was only days ago that the CPO's office stated that it was inviting the PSA for a presentation on the state of the economy.
01:15I don't want to get you into that because as I've said the PSA at this point in time while the presentation was done,
01:22I would say that the presentation was done today but the PSA made it clear that we were not there for that.
01:27We were there to receive an offer for our members and we have received the offer.
01:32The presentation was done and I let me take the opportunity to commend the good public officers
01:39that would have worked hard to put together the presentation.
01:42That cannot be ignored.
01:44Work went into it and we commend the public officers that worked on it.
01:48But I wouldn't go further but other than to say we have our 10% offer in hand.
01:55However, Finance Minister Devendranath Tangu was much more reserved in his comments today
02:00when asked when public servants could expect the payment.
02:04Reasonably speaking, when would that fund be available?
02:06Respectfully, I cannot predetermine the outcome and you're asking me to speculate on the outcome
02:10and the timing even of a negotiation.
02:13You should know better.
02:14But we know for a fact that the PSA will accept 10%.
02:17They said that they want it so it's not speculation.
02:19I am not at the very start.
02:21I am not going to jump to conclusions as to what PSA will or will not do.
02:25Just to be clear, 10% is a figure.
02:28But there is a process for which negotiations must take place
02:31which is to disaggregate how that 10% is configured.
02:34So I suspect that there is still going to be a negotiation.
02:39How it ends as I said is based on what the conversation between the CPO and the PSA.
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