| 10th August 2011 Mr. Hubert Hughes Dear Mr. Hughes, Re: Salaries Owed To Civil Servants. The Anguilla Civil Service Association (ACSA) have learned via the media that the sale of the Viceroy Hotel is just about complete and indeed should be finalized, if there are no delays, on the 17th August 2011. |
| It is our belief, Sir, that the consolidated fund should receive approximately $45 million dollars as a result of the taxes to be received from stamp duty and alien land holder’s license. The ACSA through this medium wish to make representation on behalf of Civil Servants in regards to the salaries owed to Civil Servants. We are quite sure that you would remember that from July 1st 2009 Civil Servants salaries were cut by 10 and 5% depending on the grade of the individual Civil Servant. Further cuts of an average 5% were made on July 1st 2010. These cuts were deemed necessary austerity measures to rescue the economy of this country at the time. We have made tremendous sacrifice for the past two years, some of us at the expense of having to refinance, which in itself is a backward step because of the high interest rates on loans and some of us at the expense of not being able to provide proper meals for us and our families. We know that your Government is stipulating that the monies owed by Flag Luxury to local Anguillians in the private sector must be paid when that property is sold and for this we certainly do commend you and your Government. However, we have heard no mention by you and your Government about the monies owed to Public Servants. It is our belief that the monies to be collected by the treasury from this sale of the Viceroy Hotel is sufficient to address the payment of all outstanding salaries owed to Civil Servants while still leaving a significant amount in the consolidated fund to address many of the other financial requirements of this country. We see no reason therefore why favourable consideration should not be given to fully reimbursing Civil Servants the monies owed to them at this time. We have carried the brunt of the sacrifice from day one, many of us unwillingly. We believe that our government being a Government of integrity should place the same emphasis with the same results on reimbursing Civil Servants at this time and we believe that the monies when received would place Government in good standing to lead by example where this matter is concerned. We are therefore requesting that upon the completion of the transfer of this property, and the collection of the said taxes, that Civil Servants be paid all monies owed to them at this time. We thank you and we look forward to your favourable consideration of this request. Yours sincerely, Gerard Gumbs. Anguilla Civil Service Association |
