Attorney General Addresses Concerns of Underpaid Crown Counsels

Attorney General Anthony Sylvestre says he is working on addressing concerns from Crown Counsels within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, who feel that they are being underpaid. Last week, eleven Crown Counsels wrote to Sylvestre explaining that their salaries have not been increased since 2015. They contend that their salaries are even lower than some in entry-level positions such as Judicial Research Assistants. Sylvestre told Love News that the details of the negotiations cannot be divulged; however, the matter is being treated as a high priority.

Anthony Sylvestre, Attorney General of Belize: “It is important as employers are all times to take on board whatever concerns there are of employees and so certainly what I can say without going into specifics that it has been made public, the Crowns they did write to myself and what I can say is that we’re in fruitful discussion and dialogue and I am not at liberty to say further but suffice to say that with the ultimate goal to address the concerns.”

Reporter: So the matter is being handled ? 

Anthony Sylvestre, Attorney General of Belize: “The matter has to be handled. I mean they’ve written the Attorney General and so it is and will be given the seriousness for which it calls for. So as I said I can’t go into any specific details but the matter is being addressed.”

In their correspondence to Sylvestre the Crown Counsels noted that in February 2023, the Chief Justice’s Salary was raised to 240 thousand annually, while the President of the Court of Appeal would be increased to 200 thousand annually. Justices of the Court of Appeal similarly received a salary increase to 180 thousand annually, while only holding meetings three times a year.