Dominica’s Finance Minister, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said he is happy that salary negotiations between his government and the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) have ended “amicably.”
The DPSU announced officially that long standing negotiations had ended and public servant will accept governments 1.5 percent salary increase offer for 2011/12.
“The point is, government is making an extra ordinary effort in offering 1.5 percent. It is not to say we cannot afford it but in an effort to bring closure to the negotiations we offered 1.5 percent. It is going to be a challenge for us moving forward because everyone understands the challenges which we are confronting in so far as the economies are concerned,” he said.
He continued, “At the end of the day we have to come to a common understanding where things are and what can be realistically done in advancing the issue of salary negotiations.”
Meantime Prime Minister Skerrit said government has provided $350,000 to the DPSU to give medical assistance to its members.
“The Union has decided to set up a (medical) fund and we will be the first contributor to that fund,” he said
I guess it’s cheaper for the government to give $350,000.oo to the fund than invest that same money into salary increases huh?
Wow. I hope the fund gets the money as a lump sum and not over a lengthy time period. I also hope that the money is properly handled and that nothing happens ‘under the table’.
This is a sad commentary when not too long ago, summer last year, the PM was boasting that the world economic crisis did not affect Dominica as badly as the rest of the Caribbean and in fact the rest of the world.
I hope it’s understood that 1.5 % is only $10.50 on every $1000.oo. VAT alone is 15 %. Social Security costs are rising. Food prices are rising. Gas and transportation prices are rising.
I’m sure that 1.5 % wont get most, if not almost all the public servants to go to proudly see the $25,000,000.oo White House.
I remember the PM said on a televised news broadcast once that we have to be careful not to try to live above our means. I guess he threw away that speech the someone must have obviously wrote for him because that’s what it sounds like he’s doing to me.
Why would I go build a lavish mansion and then can’t afford to to live in it?
I hope some eyes are opened to see the segregation of classes that seems destined to occur.
1.5 %. Magwesa. Ebeh mi bowdelle.
I am not givin ppl reasons to steal but all these are the reasons why,to much hard work and little pay,
Dominica dont want better,they are happy with the crumbs
I agree with the DPSU. Next time just accept whatever the Gov’t propose and move on. All the Civil Servants want a salary increase, yet just a hand full turn out to meetings and the likes. Letang, I just hope you are not crooking the Civil Servants the way Sonia Williams did.
Way to go PM!!!!! Good laugh at the public Servants of Dominica, keep on using them. Meybe one day they will get interested in their own affairs and the interest/future of their children. Take all u 1.5% and put all u hands between all u legs.
After so many years of underpayin these hard workin ppl ,that is the best u can do prime minister ,ur pocket fat so i guess it is ok ,make the ppl suffer
They allowed it. If one acts like a fool, he/she is treated like one. The civil servants are no different.
same old crap every year, pm boast that country is doing well but when comes for salary negotiations, they cannot give due to economic concerns. But don’t forget that they didn’t think twice to take a huge 50 plus % increase. There should be only one union, DAT and police association only helping to divide civil servants and so we have no strength. pm is enjoying that.
I must say the increase is better than nothing, but the fact remains that it is very insignificant for some civil servants since tax and ss takes up most. and Mr. PSU it seems is the minister of finance that negotiating for civil servants so, my advice to them would be to remove their 20bucks and just agree to all what pm skerrit say.
“It’s not that we can’t afford it” yet they offered 1.5% what the heck is that, chump change.
PM skerit ur report card 4 job creation is:0, sustainable investment:0, rising cost of living 99%, duty on d little barrel I clear, is there u strong, blows, all joke aside not voting them next election d shoe squeezing me, SOS
1400.00*1.5% = 21.00.
increase 1421.00 lol social security gone up and will be going up .25% each year.. so 21.00 is basically social security allowance pay.. okay
hands to mouth is joke
The PM must be hey because once again he is laughing at Dominicans. When the ministers took there how much percent increase, they were not thinking of the economy. Dominicans stood there and said nothing. Now the hard working people of the country get 1.5%? The ministers should remember and we the people should remind them that they were put there to serve the people. We the people should remind them of that but instead we make them divide us. Come on Dominicans wake up and show whoever wants to be our servant that we the people of Dominica are in control.
Boy, what civil servants could really get is going into paying dis one and dat one money every month so dat Labour can stay in office. Dat just cannot be right. A government should treat its workers right !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1.5% wow!! $800 a month. $144/12 $12 more a month. Wow!!
I am neither a liar nor a crook. Just believe in everything I say, and your life will be okay, (lol).
PM you will always be happy.Why dis you fail to indicate indicated the percentage increase you and the remaining members of the cabal took?
The population is dying because of hardship and poverty so you must provide money $350 000 (just enough to send one patient to Martinique) and call us a colony of clowns and idiots….
Such an upside down inside out, tete abah country.
WHAT A COUNTRY!
pocket change..after all.
skerrit, y ministers had to get that big increase and all u playing hard ball with CIVIL SERVANTSSSS.
***REMEMBER THE PRIVATE SECTOR WORKERS TOO***
So the public servant got their little salary increase. Good for them!! Some of them really deserve it.
Now where is the salary increase for the regular workers from the private sector? We must realize and admit that this salary issue is not only about the public servant.
So the next time some of us anxious to strike because we did not get an increase …….
JUST REMEMBER THE WORKERS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR!
[They hardly if at all getting their salary increase but yet they must continue to fund public servants salary increase even though the economy……….. is NOT GROWING!!
Let’s be mindful of these issues.
-Thanks
@ Trueman……go fight for your increase if you want one
When I pay my bills my purse still empty. I live from pay chek to pay check. Proud civil servant and working poor. Indigent.
Dominicans are living above their means, that is why they live from paycheck to paycheck.
how many dominicans do you live with……? who are u to tell us “dominicans” we living above means…..we should live like the chinese hatians and spanish…..rotate rest time, 12 to one rented space or live where we work …is that how we should live …..wait ..is that how YOU live….