Correctional Services officers to get pay rise

By ISAAC NICHOLAS
CORRECTIONAL Services (CS) personnel will get a significant increase in their pay by next Jan 1.
The lowest wage level of K300 for a base grade warder, will now be increased to K550-K600 a fortnight or from K9,000 to K13,000 a year.
The salary for warders at other salary levels will be adjusted upwards, but details of this were not disclosed by CS Minister Tony Aimo.
Mr Aimo yesterday announced the pay review and award of new salary scale approved by the Department of Personnel Management.
He said an additional K5 million would be needed to implement the new salaries because of the shortfall in the 2008 Budget.
He said a submission would be made to Finance and Treasury Minister and would need cabinet approval for that money.
“If there is any perfect present I wish to give to my officers this festive season for their commitment and dedication, it will be this one,” he said yesterday.
He said the pay review and new scale structure was approved by the Salaries and Conditions Monitoring Committee (SCMC) last Thursday.
He said the SCMC made its decision based on a Government’s decision to abandon the unified pay structure for the discipline services.
Mr Aimo said the task began in 2005 and got cabinet approval last year, however, the DPM did nothing to implement it until this year.
He said if SCMC had approved it earlier, it would have been factored in the 2008 Budget but it was late so the CS would make a separate submission for additional K5 million to finance the new pay structure.
He said the CS had to comply with certain conditions set by SCMC which included:
l Approved the new pay grade and salary structure uniquely designed for the CS on work value and productivity principles;
l Approved the revised allowances for managerial professional and technical positions in the CS; and
l Approved increase in hours of work and enhance manning arrangements consistent with the increases made to remuneration.
CS Commissioner Richard Sikani welcomed the increase in salary for his men.