Another Minister of Government has commented on Ministry CEOs and whether or not are subject to the 10% pay cut that was implemented for teachers and public officers who are paid from the public purse.
He's Kevin Bernard, the Minister of Youth, Sports, and E-Governance, and during a press encounter yesterday, he strongly insisted that as far as he is aware, CEOs are working for a reduced paycheck.
As we reported 2 weeks ago, A letter emerged from the Ministry of Finance. It was dated July 2nd and it was signed by the Cabinet Secretary, Stuart Leslie. In it, the Cab. Sec. informed the CEOs that their salaries and allowances will remain as recommended in May 2020. That's a time when the PUP government hadn't taken office yet, and so, they couldn't commit to a 10% cut.
When the press asked about it yesterday, and here's what Bernard said:
Hon. Kevin Bernard - Minister of E-Governance
"CEOs normally come in at a certain package. When these CEOs got in, they all came in with the reduced package that was already assigned by the precious government, so we are simply saying you know what you will come in with this same cut, you will come in with the same salary cut as well - allowance 50% cut and the same salary cut. So, because we knew that we did not want to up more on the wage bill, so these persons agreed that this is the salary cut."
'Let me tell you, many of these CEOs left their private jobs at higher paid salaries to come and work at government, because they believe in plan Belize, they believe in this country, they want to make a difference to lead our ministries in the right manner. I will say this openly, my CEO for example, we are committed to work to bring about digital transformation in this country. It takes a lot of hard work, it takes a lot of dedication."
Reporter
"Sir, can you be clear as to what salary cut you are referring to when they came in, because my understanding based on what the former prime minister had said was that they had only taken a cut in allowances. Now that completely different from cutting into salary. The majority of workers out here and even in the public service know nothing about allowances, so that's extra on top of salary. What salary cut are you referring to that they came in to?"
Hon. Kevin Bernard - Minister of E-Governance
"I think the question need to be directed to the financial secretary. You are asking the wrong person that information. What I am saying is that from what we know that they already had a cut. If you know the base salary of a CEO, they had already gotten a 25% salary cut, that's from the beginning."
Reporter
"That's allowances."
Hon. Kevin Bernard - Minister of E-Governance
"You are mistaken, you are getting misled. The CEOs..."
Reporter
"What the former prime minister stated in relation to all the cuts when he made an announcement in May and that is what the letter of the Fin. Sec referred to - what was in place May, 2020. The only person who has spoken about that is the prime minister, he mentioned CEOs, he mentioned heads of department, ministers, ministers of state. So what salary cut are you talking about? There was none for CEOs."
Hon. Kevin Bernard - Minister of E-Governance
"Like I am saying, I am not here to debate you, but I'm going to say this: if you check the records you will know that the CEOs have been cut on their salary and their allowances."
