By Niccola Hazelman-Siona

Public servants can look forward to a possible pay increase next year. .

According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ministry of Finance, Tupaimatuna Iulai Lavea, the Remuneration Tribunal had a Cabinet submission earlier in the year on a possible payrise. In discussing this issue, Cabinet decided to defer  implementation to January, 2014.

“As of now, there is no decision on how much the increase might be and how it might be financed. Finance will submit a paper to Cabinet towards the end of the year providing options for Cabinet to consider on how to the salary increase might be handled.�?

The last salary increase was five years ago.

In a previous interview, Minister of Finance Faumuina Tiatia Liuga said that a wage adjustment was “long overdue.�?

Faumuina says that the review is looking into several key factors. They include the cost of living and inflation as well as disposable incomes and purchasing power of individuals and families.

“Those factors determine if there should be an increase in wages and by how much.�?

Government has already budgeted ST$200 million for wages and benefits for public servants this financial year.

Share This

About the author

Palemia Ugapo