The Government of Antigua and Barbuda's Treasury Department has released a comprehensive set of frequently asked questions to guide public servants through the final disbursement of retroactive salary payments covering the contract periods January 2018 to December 2020 and January 2021 to December 2023.
Not all public sector employees qualify for the retroactive payments. Parliamentarians, Government Ministers, Judges, persons enrolled in the Work Experience Programme, and contract officers whose contracts do not stipulate eligibility for negotiated salary increases are all excluded from this disbursement.
For those not in any of the above categories, two core conditions determine eligibility. Current employees must have been employed by the Government on or before December 31, 2023. Public servants who retired or resigned on or before December 31, 2025, may also qualify, provided they also satisfy the first condition.
The Treasury Department has outlined a three-step self-assessment checklist for employees to determine their status. The first step requires confirming employment with the Government at any point during either contract period. Those who were not employed during those periods do not qualify. The second step asks whether any of the listed exclusions apply. Those who fall under an exclusion are not eligible under this disbursement. The third step asks whether the employee received a partial retroactive payment — up to one month's salary — in 2022, 2024, or 2025. Those who did may be entitled to a final payment.
The Department has also flagged two important nuances. Officers who left the public service in 2019 may find their outstanding retroactive balance minimal or already fully settled, as they would have received the five percent salary increase issued in January 2018. Additionally, officers who received a salary increment or promotion after their 2022 payment would have had their 2024 and 2025 disbursements calculated at the higher salary level, meaning a greater portion of their outstanding balance may already have been cleared.
The first batch of final payments was issued on April 2, 2026, covering eligible employees in the following ministries and departments: the Office of the Governor General, the House of Representatives, the Cabinet Office, the Judicial Department, the Public Service Commission, the Office of the Auditor General, the Electoral Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Prices and Consumers Affairs Division, the Bureau of Standards, the Culture and Festivals Division, the Office of the National Drug Control Policy, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Finance.
A second batch of payments is scheduled for release by April 10, 2026, covering eligible employees in the Establishment Department, Emergency Medical Services Department, Ministry of Health Headquarters, Social Transformation Department, and the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force.
The Treasury Department has stressed that since this constitutes the final retroactive payment for both contract periods, all balances are being thoroughly reviewed and verified to ensure accuracy and fairness. The Department has asked public servants for patience while that verification process is completed, and has confirmed that all payments due will be processed on or before the end of April 2026.
Employees requiring further assistance may contact the Treasury Help Desk at [email protected].
