PPP will challenge APNU+AFC salary increase in Parliament – Jagdeo
Monday , October 12 2015, Source
AN emphatic ‘no’ was the response of Opposition Leader, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, when asked if Members of Parliament for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) will accept the salary increased approved by government. A media report exposed the fact that on in the September 25th edition of the Official Gazette the Prime Minister and all Government Ministers have received a salary increase, way above what was offered to public servants in the 2015 Budget.
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.
Salary increases were also announced for the Parliamentary Secretary, the Deputy Speaker and the Opposition Leader. While the salary for the later has been doubled, the Opposition Leader, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, in August made clear that he will not be accepting the salary, since as a former president, he already benefits from a pension. An increase was also announced for all Members of Parliament from $2M to $2.4M.
Jagdeo, when asked by Citizens’ Report said, “Our MPs will not be accepting the increases.”
He added that the PPP/C will be bringing a motion to the National Assembly to challenge the increases that Government has paid to itself in less than five months of being in office.
The A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition had promised to bring Guyanese ‘a lean and mean government’ if elected. However, in addition to appointing some 26 government ministers, the salary increases have negated the Coalition’s promise.
Meanwhile, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has since defended the increase.
He said, “We have to pay people well if we want them to perform. I am not going to say that I make any apologies whatsoever for Ministers getting increase in salaries, they deserve it.”
There have been widespread criticisms of the move to increase salaries.
