Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Aug 09, 2015 Editorial, Features / Columnists
There has been much talk about pay increases for Ministers and Members of Parliament. The most noise came from the political opposition. Rohee said that the Granger-led administration (and he no longer calls it a de facto government) is seeking to feast on caviar while the ordinary man must eat little or nothing.
When the People’s Progressive Party came into office a senior Minister was earning $28,000 per month. The Attorney General was earning $76,000 a month. That was 23 years ago. When it left office a senior Minister was earning $579,000 a month as a basic salary. The Attorney General was earning $1.6 million a month.
It is a waste of time calculating the extent of the increase. Suffice it to say that the increase was astronomical. Members of Parliament also enjoyed whopping increases. The head of state got the biggest increase, earning nearly $2 million a month— in tax-free dollars. But there was so much more.
For one, the government bypassed the standard public service pay scale to pay contract workers humongous salaries. An examination of some of these salaries would leave the ordinary person goggle-eyed. And for good reason, these salaries were never made known to the general public.
How can one explain that the head of the Guyana Revenue Authority was being paid US$10,000 a month in tax-free dollars? The head of the Guyana Power and Light earns a salary of US$25,000 per month. Nearly all the contract employees were paid more than a senior Minister and they still receive such monies in addition to a gratuity every six months.
Gail Teixeira, who was not a Minister, was earning in excess of $1 million per month. One should not talk about what many others were earning. There was a vast anomaly in salary scales. Many of these enjoyed tax concessions, while the ordinary public servant and even Government Ministers could not contemplate such earnings.
The government opted to look at these salary scales and at the same time, is seeking to avoid Ministers paying themselves and becoming filthy rich. There is need for a salary adjustment in view of the vast differential between the Attorney General and the rest of the Ministers. The report that there is to be a 100 per cent increase for Ministers is not accurate.
There would be an attempt to reduce the differential between the Attorney General and the other Ministers. In every country, national leaders are properly paid to avoid acts of corruption. The opposition may argue about the possible pay increase, but it must also explain how so many of them, on their Ministerial salary, could afford the mansions and palaces that they have.
What is even more, these people had expense accounts that would boggle the mind. None can deny that there were Ministers who went out, created entertainment accounts, and had the bill forwarded to the Ministry. If these bills were to be added to the entertainment allowance, one would be surprised at what the real salary would be.
The public servant needs a proper pay, as do the old age pensioners. At the same time, the economy must be able to support these increases. The opposition made a big noise about Granger supporting pay increases for the military. The fact is that the police must also not be ignored. A lowly police constable is paid just above the minimum wage. Yet he is expected to put his life on the line to protect the society.
The police must be properly paid if the force is to attract qualified people. The quality of the police leaves a lot to be desired. Further, better pay would stop the complaint of policemen stopping motorists and demanding a raise.
Teachers also deserve better pay. In Malaysia and South Korea teachers are the third highest paid professionals. And the development of these countries is testimony to the benefit to be derived from paying teachers well.
We say, pay people properly and enjoy the results. Corruption in the public service would be curtailed and people would give an honest day’s work because of an honest day’s pay.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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