Stay Calm, Public Sector Allowances still coming says DG

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, December 10, 2023 – Turks and Caicos Public Sector workers can rest assured their salary allowances will still be afforded to them following the December 4, 2023 announcement by the Government of pay increases which take effect this month.

“In concluding; let me be clear, no member of staff is losing in this review. For those who held allowances that have now been absorbed, this simply means we are now adding it to your basic pay, and you are receiving a minimum of a 10% increase after the absorption, which is beneficial to you as allowances are used a part of the computation for your terminal gratuity o pension payments,” said Deputy Governor Anya Williams during a National press conference announcing the raises.

Following the press conference, several government staffers reached out to Magnetic Media with concerns that their ‘Island Allowances’ would be lost with the new automatic minimum 10 percent raise. But the Deputy Governor, who is head of the Civil Service explained that the government had a reason for marrying the allowances with base pay.

“[It] is beneficial to you as allowances are used as a part of the computation for your terminal gratuity to pension payments.  Through this review employee in most cases, will receive more than a 10% increase to their net-pay.”

Allowances now roped into the base salary, according to the DG, are the Provo Allowance, Duty Allowance, Child Allowance and Professional Allowance. Police officers get additional housing allowance, teachers will receive Supplies allowance and immigration officers get an additional allowance.

The decision to keep the allowances were approved in a Wednesday November 29^th Cabinet meeting, said the DG.

“All Police Officers will continue to receive a Housing Allowance.  Detective, Marine, Close Protection and Tactical Allowances will be increased by 100% from $500 to $1,000 per month or $12,000 per annum.”