NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (November 01, 2024- The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) has announced plans to reinstate increments for public servants, with a focus on performance-based assessments.
The Honourable Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance and Human Resources, revealed this policy update at his monthly press conference on October 31.
Premier Brantley explained that the freeze on increments was due to two key factors- the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of a phased 15 percent salary increase for public servants over the past three years.
“Now that COVID-19 is behind us, we hope, and the salary increase is behind us, we will resume the ordinary process of increments in the new year, in the new budget,” he stated.
Premier Brantley emphasized however, that increments will not be automatic. Public servants will only qualify for an increment following a satisfactory appraisal report, based on their performance and conduct. Conversely, those who exhibit issues such as frequent absenteeism or tardiness will not qualify for an increment.
“In order to qualify for an increment, a public servant will have to be assessed and it will have to be determined by the supervisors that yes, they are performing and therefore they will get an increment.
“We are going back now. If you’re not performing, if you refuse to come to work, if you are late every day, if you’re doing all those things that you ought not to be doing, then do not expect that you’ll get an increment automatically,” he said.
The NIA’s approach intends to align with the original design of the increment system, where performance evaluations played a significant role in determining eligibility for increments. This shift, the Premier explained, is part of the NIA’s commitment to fostering a high-performing and motivated public service. The renewed performance-based increment policy will be detailed further in the upcoming budget for 2025.
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