Will they or won’t they...
Opposition MPS undecided on response to massive salary increase
MEMBERS People’s National Party (PNP) sitting on the Opposition benches in Parliament are yet to arrive at a consensus on how to treat with the massive increase in salaries which are to collect under the recently announced compensation review.
The leadership of the PNP called a media briefing at its Old Hope Road headquarters on Friday with speculation rife that the party would be announcing that its MPS would be rejecting the increases of more than 200 per cent in some cases, for parliamentarians and other members of the political directorate including mayors and councillors.
In an early morning release on Wednesday, hours after Minister of Finance Dr Nigel Clarke had announced the increases in Parliament, the PNP had claimed that, “It is morally indefensible to grant such a significant raise while so many of our dedicated public servants have seriously lost out and are utterly demoralised by the lack of equity in the recent salary restructuring”.
But, at Friday’s media briefing Opposition Leader Mark Golding said the PNP MPS are discussing how they will treat with their salary increase which will put their individual salaries at $14.2 million effective April 1, 2024 from $4.3 million which they now receive.
Golding salary will move to $25.7 million next April up from just over $8 million which he now receives.
But Golding told the media briefing that he has already decided that he will be giving up 80 per cent of this increase until the grouses of other public sector workers are dealt with.
“It’s a matter that we’re discussing and I don’t think we’re in a position to make an announcement on that today but it’s an ongoing discussion among our parliamentarians,” said Golding as he added that he will not impose his will on his colleagues.
When pressed about what is being discussed among the party’s parliamentary caucus, Golding sidestepped the question, stating that he is yet to figure out exactly how/who will benefit from the 80 per cent of his salary that he will be redirecting to persons in need.
“I have a little time to work that through. As a Member of Parliament for South St Andrew...and leader of the Opposition, I will expect that constituency needs from South St Andrew would be one of the priorities how those funds would be disbursed. I would like to depoliticise it and have put in place a group of persons who’re independent who can adjudicate as to the worthiness of the cause,” he explained.
Golding emphasised that it would not be limited to his constituency because he has a national role as Opposition leader.
In the meantime, PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell, when asked about the massive increases being paid to the commissioners of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) of which he is one, echoed Golding by stating that he did not enter politics to enrich himself.
The ECJ meets sparingly outside of election periods and its members will now see salaries of up to $20 million.
While claiming he is not sure what the level of the increase is for the commissioners, Campbell declared that he earned far less as a politician than as a medical doctor.
He said as soon as he knows the level of increase the ECJ commissioners have been granted, he will be prepared to give up 80 per cent of the increase in solidarity with the Opposition leader.
Reiterating that he has no intention of enriching himself from the political process, Campbell said, “If at any time I feel that I don’t have sufficient funds, I [will] do some more work in the hospitals. But I don’t intend to use politics to be my gateway to fortune”.
Campbell also questioned whether the timing of the increases for the political directorate and the massive amounts coincide with the pending reshuffle of the Cabinet.
“It lends a question... as to whether or not it’s really just trying to give some increases to some of the older boys before they go,” said Campbell.