Ministers’ pay hike not bad but process was – Lewis

http://www.stabroeknews.com/20...t-process-was-lewis/

GuyanaMan82 • 40 minutes ago

Ministerial salary increases: The runner stumbles

Context is everything in life. Context underlies the movement of life in the world and individual action in it. Every action has a context. One of the greatest, phenomenal explanations of the indispensability of context in understanding human action I have ever seen was when a cricket writer in the Guardian newspaper of the UK analyzed the achievements of the global cricket star, Sachin Tendulkar.

Using the methodology of context, the writer showed that in cricketing history, Tendulkar was far down the order as a great batsman. He put him as the 28th greatest batsman in history. There isn’t space here to elaborate on the article. I suggest you Google and read it. You will learn from it. I have.The fifty percent salary increase for Ministers and Parliamentarians is creating waves. It may be more factual to describe it as a tsunami of disappointment. Why is there this huge reverberation? Context is the answer.

Context 1- In two Ashni Singh budgets since 2011, APNU-AFC had denounced the huge income for many PPP big-wigs. Since that was just a year ago, it was too early in the rule of the coalition government to award themselves a substantial elevation in income. It is not a question of justification because of poor ministerial earning. Cabinet Ministers deserve to be paid more. It is context.Coming so soon after the denunciation of the hefty sums the PPP kings and queens paid themselves, the move was unwise. Maybe next year, but not four months after the assumption of office.

Context 2 – The entire population of Guyana will admit that the pay packet of policemen, teachers, nurses and public servants is as ugly a sight as sadistic hunters killing innocent animals. The coalition government just passed a budget in which public sector employees were awarded an Ashni Singh pittance. Why in the context of that recent national outpouring of chagrin did the Ministers assign themselves a hefty pay packet?
Surely, the Cabinet has to have some pretty naïve members if they think that the increase would not have irritated large sections of the population. At the time of writing, the teachers’ union is livid. No doubt as the days move out, other unions will sing the same refrain.

Context 3- Raphael Trotman made some pellucid statements in August when the salary hike was announced. Speaking on behalf of the Government, he literally backed down and apologized for any move the government might have made to guide people into thinking that salary increase for Ministers was about to happen.
In unambiguous language, he said it would not happen in the immediate future. From August to the end of September is certainly the immediate future. In Canada, the US, Europe and in places like Nigeria, India, Brazil, Chile and Argentina, Trotman would have received calls for his resignation.
However light-handedly the media want to treat Trotman, he is facing extensive embarrassment and needs to jump on a damage-control machine ASAP

Context 4- Guyana in the midst of a huge corruption exposure campaign. On a daily basis, Guyanese are hearing about extravagant sums that went into the pockets of the major players of the previous regime.  Big money is the centre of these corruption scandals.
It is not wise thinking and a good strategic move that right in the middle of this campaign that Guyanese have emotionally embraced, that the new government gave its Ministers some handsome pay packets.

Context 5- The salary increase came too soon after the 2015 election victory. Four months is too short a period for a government to stumble. Governments are going to make mistakes that exasperate citizens but not just four months after electoral success.  After a rapturous, emotional and satisfying election victory, the victors have to ensure they nurture the extensive sympathy and support they received.
A huge salary increase isn’t the most elegant way to do it.

Context 6 – The PPP is on the warpath. Even the blind can see that. Armed with the optimism it lost the election by less than 5000 votes, it won seven (?) of the ten Regions, and that there is no grand embrace between the AFC and APNU ( Stabroek News and Ralph Ramkarran said so), the PPP is in election mode. The PPP is in a fighting mood. Why would the ruling coalition embark on an unpopular policy that would make its enemy’s work easier?
The AFC called in Dick Morris from the US to help with polling. The AFC called in Alstrom Stewart from Jamaica to help with election campaigning. It has to call in Julius Caesar to help with strategizing. But he died along with the Roman Empire thousands of years ago.

I think that they believe it is better to have the pay increases early in the mandate so people will forget by the time the next elections come around. The seemed to forget that they get one chance to make a first impression. No matter how they try to spin it, the massive pay raise is unjustified and they are taking some heat over it. Makes me wonder who is advising them. Would be more interesting if the PPP decides that their MPs will not take the raise, or take the raise and donate it to charitable foundations, etc.

Yes, PPP should take the raise and donate it to Uncle Eddie's Home and the Palms.