Seychelles’ government will implement its proposed five percent salary increase for public service employees through regulation under the old public service salary act of 2013.
The secretary of state for cabinet affairs, Mohammed Afif, announced on Tuesday, that since the National Assembly has to date, not approved the proposed salary amendment bill presented on March 19, the government will proceed with its original plan.
This delay was caused due to an adjournment of the debate on the bill without any vote after the National Assembly’s special session in March.
The secretary of state for cabinet affairs adds that under the existing law, the salary grid is a regulation, which can be amended at any time and should be done at least once every five years. No amendment had been done since it became effective in 2014.
“We had one or two other things to amend in the law –so, we had everything in one bill. It was possible for the government to proceed without amending the law. This morning, the regulation was signed.
So, the salary grid becomes effective,” says Afif. Employees who are on band one, will receive SCR250 to SCR274 while those on band 20 will receive an increase of around R4, 000, before tax under the amendment.
Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, the country’s Minister of Finance, Trade, Investment and Economic Planning had made an initial announcement on the increase in November last year.