There is no legal basis for members of the Suriname Fire Brigade (KBS) to book double overtime pay into their work schedules on Sundays, said Kenneth Amoxy, Suriname's Minister of Justice and Police. After having discussions with them about it back and forth, hold off on it until it is resolved.
The Surinamese Fire Brigade will return to work again from Tuesday 19 March 2024. This is because the government did not adhere to the agreement to pay its members for overtime in December.
Amoxi said on Wednesday before the start of the Cabinet meeting that he had been waiting for a month for advice from the Interior Ministry so that he could give a satisfactory answer to KBS.
“The government has put in place a condition for working irregular hours, which is that these people (Kosovo Police, KPA, KBS and BBS) receive the seventh part of their total salaries as compensation for working irregularly, including Sundays. What is happening now in the fire department is They book extra working hours on Sundays according to their work schedule. Amoxi confirmed that this is a double payment.
According to the minister, this situation has been occurring since 2019, which is why he ordered a search for the legal basis for this. The fire department told him that his last former colleague (Stuart Getreau) had given them verbal permission to use this arrangement.
I signed a preliminary agreement with them on the condition that it be approved by the government meeting (Cabinet). Because I can't figure anything out and continue on the wrong course of action. The minister said: This is the whole issue regarding the firefighters' strike. He hopes to receive the assembly again on Wednesday afternoon.
