(CMR) A one-time honorarium of CI$1,500 will be paid to civil servants in December 2023 as a token of appreciation for work achieved throughout the year.
Premier Hon. Juliana O’Çonnor-Connolly made the announcement during a special sitting of Parliament on Thursday, 23 November.
“The truth is we owe our Civil Service a tremendous depth of gratitude. Civil Servants are not only the delivery arm of every government policy and program, but in the current fiscal period of 2022 to 2023, efficiencies have been achieved by the Civil Service in the areas of personnel cost alone, and they have created the financial wherewithal to fund other government initiatives that have benefited the wide Cayman Islands community,” Premier O'Connor-Connolly said.
She said this one-time payment is allowing the Civil Service to retain approximately 10 percent of the HR savings of approximately $40 million, which it achieved this fiscal year.
She reiterated this payment was not a result of new funding but savings achieved through the efficiency of the Civil Service.
Another notable development the Premier mentioned was a CI$300 increase to the monthly disbursements of eligible public service pensioners who receive the minimum amount, beginning in December. She explained that this relief to pensioners who worked for 10 years or more increased their pension to $1250 per month, bringing much-needed relief to better cope with affording the necessities.
Meantime, the House unanimously passed 11 Bills on the meeting’s agenda each going through the first and second readings as well as committee and reporting stages.
The most notable Bills passed were the Beneficial Ownership Transparency Bill, 2023 and the National Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The Beneficial Ownership Transparency Bill, 2023 intends to enhance the jurisdiction’s current beneficial ownership regime to ensure compliance with international standards. The National Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2023 proposes to amend the National Pensions Act to increase the maximum amount for withdrawals from pension plans for home purchase or construction, mortgage reduction, or mortgage payoff.
The Bills presented and passed were:
-Beneficial Ownership Transparency Bill, 2023
-Banks and Trust Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2023
-Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2023
-Companies Management (Amendment) (No. 2), Bill, 2023
-Foundation Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2023
-Insurance (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2023
-Limited Liability Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2023
-Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2023
-Mutual Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2023
-Virtual Asset (Service Providers) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2023
-National Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2023
Both the Beneficial Ownership Transparency Bill, 2023 and the National Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2023 were amended.
A motion that sought an amendment to the Development and Planning Act (2021 Revisions), the Development and Planning (Amendment) Regulations, 2023 and was moved by the Minister for Planning, Agriculture, Housing, Infrastructure, Transport & Development, Hon. Jay Ebanks. The purpose of the regulations is to promote the use of rooftop spaces on multi-story buildings in hotel and commercial zones. The motion was unanimously passed.
The Premier also brought Motion No. 4, which allowed for the Hon Jay Ebanks and Member of Parliament for George Town North Joey Hew to be added to the Standing Business Committee. The motion was duly carried and will allow Parliament to select a date to present the budget.
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