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(BVI News) The government has announced a hiring freeze and travel restrictions for civil servants as part of cost-cutting measures while an investigation is launched into a $20 million pay discrepancy found in this year’s budget.
The measures were announced by Premier and Finance Minister Dr. Natalio Wheatley at the House of Assembly (HOA) last Friday, August 16.
According to the Prime Minister, the problem stems from the new salary structure implemented this year. The changes cost about $11.7 million. However, after a review, the Ministry of Finance found a large difference between the budgeted amount and the actual amount required.
Dr Wheatley explained: “The analysis shows that there is a wide disparity in the funding required for individual compensation of current officers.”
The prime minister said the Treasury calculated the actual wage costs for current public servants to be $25,056,518 up to April 15, 2024. He said that meant a shortfall of $13.3 million compared to the amount budgeted for that period. Opposition MPs said ministry officials estimated the full-year figure to be closer to $20 million.
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