Members of the Barbuda Council asked to return the extra cash

The Barbuda Council has asked all elected members to return the extra $1,000 they received in January as part of their monthly allowance.
Mackeisha DeSouza, chairwoman of the Finance and Development Committee, said that the body made an error when it approved the increase over a week ago.
In a statement issued to the media yesterday, the chairwoman said that the committee followed the correct procedures and included the increase in the 2018 estimates, however the increase could not take effect because the national budget is yet to be approved.
The elected members are being asked to return the money to the council treasury until final approval of the national budget which goes to the Senate for debate on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Orlando Morris, public relations officer attached to the Barbuda Council, explained that the increase was in the pipeline for quite some time.
He said the finance department made the blunder by releasing the funds before the national budget was approved.
Morris said an increase in the monthly allowance is necessary because council members are underpaid.
According to Morris, elected members of the council receive about $2,500 per month.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)