No layoffs coming after $20M gov’t blunder — Premier

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has assured residents that no jobs will be lost due to the government’s $20 million budget miscalculation.

Last month, Dr Wheatley explained that the House of Assembly approved a budget that included $11.7 million for a new salary structure for public workers. However, upon further analysis by the Ministry of Finance, it was discovered that the actual amount needed was significantly higher, at $25,056,518. When he first announced the budget miscalculation, Premier Wheatley said the government would introduce hiring freezes and other measures to curb spending in the public service.

During a recent press conference, Dr Wheatley addressed concerns about the financial blunder, emphasising that the government is taking steps to rectify the issue without impacting public service jobs. “We won’t have any layoffs as a result of it,” the Premier assured. “We went to the House of Assembly a few weeks ago, and we were able at that time to ensure that we’re able to meet our obligations until the end of the year,” Dr Wheatley added.