Not another dollar!
Terrelonge, Holness spar over using CDF to increase constituency assistants’ salaries
MEMBER of Parliament for St Catherine East Central Alando Terrelonge is demanding a salary hike for executive assistants assigned to constituencies, claiming they are not being paid enough for their hard-working efforts.
Terrelonge aired his concerns during the sitting of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) committee on Wednesday, where the funding of several projects for constituencies were approved.
He said assistants have been receiving an annual income of $1.5 million annually since 2016, but the economic value has largely reduced.
“If you are going to run a constituency as effectively as I have ran East Central St Catherine, you need a good admin. I do believe that we must pay people what they deserve...even if we got an extra $500,000 to bring up their salary,” said Terrelonge.
“I feel completely inept sitting here, knowing that an office administrator who I depend on to help me run a constituency... It is not easy for any Member of Parliament, if you’re going to be a good MP and you are paying an office admin who is working $1.5 million... If it is that proposal can be made to the Ministry of Finance, then I think in all seriousness we should,” he added.
But committee chairman and Member of Parliament for St Andrew East Rural Juliet Holness disagreed with Terrelonge, noting that the salary is sufficient.
“I do not empathise or sympathise as $1.5 million is a reasonable amount to pay an administrative assistant and you can look forward to raising funds outside of the Government to supplement the assistant,” Holness argued.
“I cannot take $1.5 million out of my $20 million. I do not have and have never had an administrative assistant. I find it very hard to manage East Rural St Andrew without that $1.5 million, but if I take $1.5 million I don’t know what I’m going to do in terms of funding the projects in the constituency,” she added.
The CDF, when introduced in 2008, saw $40 million being allocated per constituency. That allotment was, however, later reduced to $20 million a year, only to be further reduced to $15 million in 2010.
It remained at that level until 2016 when it was restored to $20 million.
“As Members of Parliament it is very unfortunate. Have the people know that our burden is heavy. We have to be begging donations, we have to be doing fund-raising because we are not getting enough for CDF to be able to manage our constituencies and every year we come, every year we ask for more but we do not get anymore,” said Holness.
Holness is recommending the executive assistants be paid $2 million outside of the $20 million CDF allocation. She also recommended the retaining of CDF officers who have received quality training from the Government.
The CDF approved 109 projects, to be done a approximately $241 million.