By: Nicholas Bass
The Judiciary Secretary (JS), Abdou Conteh on Thursday disclosed that increment of judiciary staff salaries shall be dealt with by the Judiciary Service Commission next week Monday.
He disclosed to this medium following widespread rumors of a proposed staff sit and strike action across the country because of the 30% increment of civil servants salaries yet to reflect in their monthly salaries.
However, he said a letter emanated from the office of the Secretary General addressed to the personal management office issued a directive that salaries will be increased across the board by 30%.
He explained that the 30% increment of civil servant salaries issued by President Adama Barrow was with an exception to independent institutions which includes the Judiciary, Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA), National Assembly and National Audit, Ombudsman amongst others.
‘’If that was the case, there is nothing that the judiciary can do’’, he expressed.
He went on to say that the Judiciary has taken upon itself to engage relevant authorities to maintain its payroll, adding that such might not be implemented this year, but ‘’may come into effect next year’’.
He promised to take the concerns of judiciary staff that are within the payroll of 2 to 12 to the Judiciary Service Commission (JSC), stressing that whatever the JSC decides shall ‘’be bidding on all’’.
Meanwhile, he said the Judiciary Service Commission will sit to discuss on how to resolve the increment of its staff salaries, citing that the JSC has the constitutional backing to make recommendations as to the terms and conditions of service of judges, judiciary officers, and staff of the courts.
