From Caribbean News Service

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Nov 21 2016 – Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr Timothy Harris has announced that a double salary would be paid to civil servants in December.

During an Address to the Nation on Saturday evening, Dr. Harris stated “We appreciate that 2016 so far has been a very good one for us. We have been an above average performer not just in the OECS, CARICOM, ECLAC, but in the wide world.  All three of our fiscal accounts: recurrent, overall and primary accounts have been in surplus from January to October.  We are gratified by this excellent performance of our fiscal house.  We credit this to the satisfaction of economic actors in the policies of the peoples Team Unity Government.  We are committed to ensure that all share in the economic fortunes of our country.

Cabinet in its deliberation on Friday determined that the following will be offered to government employees in December this year:

An extra month’s salary to all civil servants, auxiliary workers, and pensioners on the government payroll.  This represents a thirteen-month salary or an 8.3 percent bonus to government employees and pensioners.  This payout will benefit not only federal employees and pensioners but also those on the payroll of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA),” said Dr. Harris

PM Harris also announced that Residents of St. Kitts and Nevis, specifically non-commercial importers and travellers, will receive duty free allowances on “food stuff” and non-commercial imports.

“Gift packages of food stuff will be allowed free of duties and taxes for the first 400lbs from the 9^th to 31^st December 2016,” stated Minister of Finance Dr. Harris.

PM Harris continued “Travellers can receive a duty free allowance of EC$540(US200) off the CIF value. This too will run from 9^th to 31^stDecember 2016.”

Concessions for Restaurateurs’ were also announced by Prime Minister Harris during his address.

“I am pleased to announce to all of our Stand Alone Restaurant Operators that Government has approved an extension of duty-free concessions, which are applicable every five years.  These concessions apply to the following purchases:

• Food and wine, Restaurant Equipment, Cutlery, Crockery & Glassware

I should note that the normal VAT at 17 percent and Customs Service Charge at 6 percent are payable on the importation of equipment, cutlery, crockery and glassware.  Interested restaurant operators are asked to contact SKIPA on the 3^rd Floor of the Cable Building on Cayon Street, Basseterre,” stated PM Harris

It was also announced that there will be an extra Public Holiday during the Christmas/Carnival Season. December 27^th was declared a public Holiday. With Christmas Day falling on a Sunday and Boxing Day on a Monday the Cabinet decided to follow the legislation and declare Tuesday 27^th December as a public holiday.

PM Harris announced “I now draw your attention to the fact that in keeping with section 2 of the Public Holidays Act Cap 23.23, December 26^thand 27th, 2016 are consecutive public holidays.  The relevant section of the Act notes that: “…if Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, then the next following Monday (Boxing Day) and Tuesday shall be public holidays.”

This is the first time in a long time that a double salary has been given that was not under the shadow of a pending election.

For more on this story go to: http://caribbeannewsservice.com/now/why-government-workers-in-this-caribbean-nation-are-looking-forward-to-their-december-pay-check/