The Ministry of Housing and Water has employed six employees on contract since the PPP/C assumed government on August 2, 2020, according to Senior Minister Collin Croal.
Croal made the disclosure in a written response to questions asked by APNU+AFC MP Annette Ferguson in the National Assembly.
In his written response on the designation and emoluments for each person employed on contract from August 2, 2020, Croal provided a table which detailed the designations and date of appointment for each contracted employee as well as their salaries and other benefits.
Among the designations listed by Croal are one Permanent Secretary (PS), two personal assistants, a Public Relations Officer (PRO), two confidential secretaries, a technical assistant, a driver and a cleaner.
While Ferguson only asked for details on persons employed on contract with the ministry from August 2, 2020, the list provided by Croal included three contracted employees who were hired in January, April and July of last year.
The Permanent Secretary is being paid $650,000 per month. Among the PS’s benefits are a gratuity of $1,755,000, and vacation allowance equivalent to a full month’s salary.
The lowest paid employees are the cleaner and driver, with salaries of $70,000 per month.
The salaries of the other contracted employees range from $160,000 to $350,000.
Ferguson also asked to be advised on whether the allowances of the contracted employees were catered for in the 2020 budget and under which line item.
In response, Croal noted that the allowances for the nine contracted employees, employed in the Ministry from August 2, 2020 were not catered for in the 2020 budget.
