Judges get ‘enormous’ pay rise
Published:Wednesday | May 10, 2023 | 12:28 AMLivern Barrett/Senior Staff Reporter
THE SUBSTANTIAL pay rise announced yesterday for the top brass of the judiciary appears to be “enormous” because judges in Jamaica have been underpaid for decades, a top defence attorney has asserted.
Linton Gordon, a former army colonel who has been practising law in Jamaica for 42 years, said he is aware of judges who have retired and are not able to maintain a decent standard of living.
“Hopefully, we are now moving from that stage and we are acknowledging that our judges fall in a special category where they should be properly remunerated and not be left in a way where they are in doubt about whether they can live a decent life,” Gordon said.
The salary increases for Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, President of the Court of Appeal Patrick Brooks, senior puisne judges, puisne judges and judges of the Court of Appeal cover a three-year period starting in 2021 and were recommended by an independent panel established by the Government.
Sykes’ basic salary moved from $11.6 million to $12.3 million in year one; $25.2 million in year two; and $28.8 million effective April 1 this year.
Brooks’ basic pay moved from $11.6 million to $12.3 in year one; $22.9 million in year two; and $26.2 million effective April 1 this year.
The new basic pay for a senior puisne judge as at April 1 this year is 21.9 million, up from $19.2 million last year and $9.9 million the previous year.
Judges of the Court of Appeal are receiving a basic pay of $23.8 million this year, up from $20.9 million last year and $10.8 million the previous year.
Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke said the year one figures represent a six per cent increase, which is a departure from the recommendation of the 10th Independent Commission of the Judiciary, the three-member panel that conducted the review of judges’ salaries.
The figures recommended by the Leighton McKnight-led commission for years one and two were adopted by the Government, said Clarke, noting that the salary adjustments will cost taxpayers $1.87 billion.
“And that will all have to be accounted for in this fiscal year,” he said.
But the finance minister and his Cabinet colleague, Justice Minister Delroy Chuck, defended the moves, pointing to the importance of insulating the judiciary and to allow judges to enjoy the kind of remuneration that is commensurate with their job.
“I wish to remind the House and the public of the scholarly independence required of members of the judiciary in addition to the requirement that they lead lives of restraint such that they retain a steely imperviousness to undue influence from any quarter,” Clarke said.
Chuck said the new salary scale will make the Jamaica judiciary “one of the best paid in the Caribbean” and ensure that improvement in the local justice system will continue.
And he said the McKnight commission has been retained to review the salaries of Parish Court judges.
Alexander Williams, president of the Jamaican Bar Association (JAMBAR), believes the new salaries will attract senior attorneys in private practice to become judges.