CABINET has approved a five percent wages and salaries increase for workers in the Ministry of Local Government who are employed by the 65 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs). 

Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon at his post-Cabinet press briefing Wednesday stated that the increase will be calculated on their December 2014 salary and be effective from January 1, 2015. The increase, however, is dependent on the Councils’ ability to fund the increases.
The stipends for councillors and chairpersons are also expected to be increased. Dr. Luncheon said that stipends for the entities in the Local Democratic system “specifically the very same NDC and the Town Councils, and here the focus was on the stipend that was provided for by ministerial order to the elected representative … the NDCs and its councillors and the town councils and its members… the details of those increases will be provided later,” he said.
Employees in the public sector received a similar increase in December last year, however they were unable to benefit as they are paid by the NDCs.

(Raymon Cummings)