For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minster Gaston Browne has stopped shy of giving a firm commitment that public servants salaries will be paid on time this month.
Browne told Pointe FM that he has already been getting questions from public servants.
“I see that the public servants are not giving us any room to pay late. Every month, sometimes at the middle of the month, the question comes as to whether (they) are going to be paid on time.
“I will say here we will make every effort to ensure that they are paid on time,” he said.
Browne said revenues which declined in March by some 70 percent are still down significantly.
He said Antigua & Barbuda continues to make payments to creditors for which deferrals have not been obtained.
“But it is still an extremely challenging period. We are going to see a significant reduction in the Gross Domestic Product for this year.
“Which means that there will be some sustained unemployment for the next maybe 12-18 months or maybe up to two years in order to recover some of the losses as a consequence of covid,” Browne who is also Finance Minister said.
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use every effort within your power and influence too ensure employees get their severance, especially the hotel workers.
Look at the Labour Department refusing to sign new work permits, then you want to be paid and “on time “ where the money coming from? Do you know how much revenue the government makes from work permits for non nationals.
The Bandit lie. The Bandit lie, lie. He says that he has the access to 50 % of the hundred plus million to recapitalize liat. He first said that he has 20 million. Is he speaking for himself or for the government! Oh excuse me! His government. If that amount of funds are available legally. Why not use it for the unemployed that can’t see themselves maintaining the necessities of modern life in Antigua. With the lack of recurrent government revenue streams. The situation will get worse. Asot,your window of opportunity to challenge the Bandit for leadership of the ABLP is wide open.
The 20m Liat money was a loan that somehow never made it to Liat. It is tied to the airline, and can’t be used for anything else. I guess that is why there is a mad scramble to make sure Liat in some form survives, as some of that money most likely got spent, and they need something on paper to suggest Liat got it.
https://antiguanewsroom.com/pm-inks-deal-for-alba-loan-for-liat/
Every effort!!?Let off the the money that you holding onto man, Minister of finance you hab the money let it go to the people who work hard for it and stop the suffering. Time now to stop think about your self and time now to take the people into consideration whole leap of funds you can come up with in this short space time to save Liat. Put the poor hard working and pensioners first.
Cannot pay salaries but has 50 million for Liat… It’s obvious his priorities are not the people of Antigua. People do not work for free. Pay them what’s due on time. If anything cut your own salary to help the people but that would make you look like a good honest person… Must be hard
Notice he didn’t say guaranteed. Pure false hopes.
Hope you see how important LIAT was now sorry to say it could only get worse.
While you are trying to sooth the public Servants.Do not forget the Pensioners.They already worked their blood,sweat and tears for that.Only to be paid late every month.This has been going on before the coming of Covid-19.So where did it go wrong,Gaston Browne.After all you are the smartest and brightest leader ever created on this earth.So tell me.What would be the end results on LIAT.
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