Some workers reinstated after vaccine mandate feel shortchanged after getting ‘small’ bonuses

A JANUARY 26, 2026 dated memo signed by the Director of Finance and Planning and addressed to all permanent secretaries and heads of departments advised them that “Cabinet at a meeting held on January 21, 2026, approved the bonus of a one-off tax-free bonus to employees and pensioners of the Central Government.”

The category of employees identified in the memo are public servants – permanent and non-established EC$2,000), pensioners (EC$1,500), daily paid workers – full-time and part-time (EC$1,000). All bonuses, according to the memo, “must be paid along with the January 2026 payroll.”

Last week Thursday and Friday, January 29 and 30, 2026 respectively, many workers reinstated under the New Democratic Party (NDP) government, complained bitterly over the amount of monies received. After checking their salary slips, in some cases, they had received as low as $166.67 instead of the promised EC$2,000, and in other cases, some received as little as EC$100, instead of the promised EC$1,500.

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