PPP MPs will not accept salary increases, they will challenge it – Jagdeo
Monday, October 19 2015, Source
A DEFINITIVE no was the position of former president and Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, in reiterating the position of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), when asked if PPP/C Members of Parliament would accept the salary increases approved by the new administration.
“PPP MPs will not be accepting the salary increases,” he stressed emphatically.
The salary increases were approved in September, but exposed two weeks later, in early October, by a media report.
Jagdeo added that the Party will challenge the salary increases in the National Assembly, come Thursday.
The September 25th edition of the Official Gazette confirmed that the Prime Minister and all Government Ministers have received a salary increase. Nagamootoo, at the top of the earning bracket, will now earn $20.6M, a 10 per cent increase from what former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds was paid.
Senior Ministers have had their pay packets doubled from $6.9M to $10.5m. Junior Minister will now be paid $8.3M. House Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland, will also benefit and his salary has been upped from $6.9M to $10.4M.
Laws passed a few years ago dictate that salary increases once approved apply across the board for a groups of public servants, for example, the Opposition Leader and certain top government officials constitute one group – making increases for all in that group compulsory. The same goes for Members of Parliament. The increase announced for all Members of Parliament in the House will now move the salaries from $2M to $2.4M annually.
President David Granger will also benefit from a salary increase of 5 per cent, equivalent to $1.2M more a year.
The administration continues to come under fire from several sections of society, even its own supporters, for the massive salary increases, which top government officials have told the nation is justified and fair – at time when public servants are benefiting from single digit increases.
The increased salaries will be charged to the Consolidated Fund, according to Guyana’s Constitution.