A new agreement between the Government of Belize and the Joint Union Negotiating Team means more money in the pockets of those who are transferred to new work locations. According to a circular from the Ministry of the Public Service, the transfer grant has officially been increased for interdistrict transfers, their grant goes from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred dollars. For intradistrict transfers, it jumps from six hundred to nine hundred dollars. This change takes effect immediately. Plus, public officers who were transferred between 2021 and 2024 will receive retroactive payments to make up the difference. Those payments are expected to roll out in the coming weeks. The ministry says this move reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to supporting public officers and strengthening its partnership with union leaders. However, the announcement follows a backdrop of ongoing negotiations—and a standoff—between the unions and the government over an eight-point-five percent salary adjustment. While the grant increase is a step forward, union leaders say it’s only part of a larger conversation about fair compensation and respect for public officers.
