TCIG Public Service Salaries to be Reviewed

#TurksandCaicos, May 19, 2023 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce that a contract has recently been signed with Ernst and Young (Kingston, Jamaica) to undertake a wholistic review of Public Service salaries in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

A total of Six (6) bids were received through open tender for this work, with Ernst and Young having been selected as the preferred bidder.

The review includes developing the following objectives and execution of deliverables:

Objectives

• The Pay and Grading Policy, including criteria for allowances
• Job Description Template and Guidelines for Completion
• Job Evaluation Committee Terms of Reference
• Grade Level Standards for Job Evaluation and Grading
• Grade levels for jobs
• Grades, Pay Points and Pay Rates
• Compensation Market Survey

Deliverables

• Deliverable 1 – Execution Plan:This shall detail the approach to meeting the objectives of the project/initiative, including initial scoping, assumptions, work plan, methodology, literature review, timelines and a stakeholder engagement plan.
• Deliverable 2 – Full Draft Report of the Proposed Pay and Grading System: This shall clearly and concisely present a full draft of the proposed Pay and Grading System with Strategic Considerations for review.
• Deliverable 3 – Final Report – Proposed TCI Public Service Pay and Grading System: This shall present the final and agreed Report, taking into account feedback from the Draft Report Briefing session as well as comments and feedback from key stakeholders.

A initial envelope of 2.5 million has been budgeted in the 2023/2024 Budget in order to facilitate the first phase of the implementation of the anticipated recommendations in December 2023, with additional funds being budgeted as necessary.

Acting Governor and Head of the Public Service Her Excellency Anya Williams in commenting on the Public Service Pay and Grading Review stated:

“The Public Service plays a vital role in ensuring that the objectives of the government are met, that approved policies are implemented and that services are carried out on behalf of the government for the benefit of its residents and visitors.

The last comprehensive Public Service Pay and Grading Review in the Turks and Caicos Islands was undertaken in 2012 and was implemented in 2014.

Since then the Public Service received a 2.5% across the board salary increase in 2016 and a 4% across the board salary increase in 2022, along with a 6% fully funded investment by the Government in 2022 in the new TCIG Pension and Gratuity Program.

As the demands and expectations of the Public Service continues to expand, alongside increased costs of living due to inflation and other factors, it is important that Public Service salaries are comprehensively reviewed to ensure that staff are appropriately compensated for the work that they do.

My office looks forward to working with Ernst and Young on this key initiative.

A kickoff meeting was held on April 21, 2023 ahead of the official commencement of the contract on April 24, 2023 to finalize the schedule of works. Subsequently, follow up meetings are held once a week, every Monday.

On island works are expected to commence on May 15, 2023, when the consultants are expected to travel to the islands to not only collect additional data, but to also meet in person with key agencies such as the Civil Service Association, Police, Education, Health and other sectors.

The work is expected to be carried out over the course of the next 6 months, with the final report and recommendations expected to be completed in November 2023, followed by the first phase of implementation depending on the recommendations in December 2023.

As we work to continue to improve not only service delivery, but also the salary and working conditions of staff across government, my office is grateful to the Government for the financial support provided and looks forward to delivering on this key initiative for the benefit of the Public Service of the Turks and Caicos Islands.”