Political class has been treated with ‘disdain’

THE “POLITICAL class” in Jamaica has been treated with “schizophrenia and disdain” for many years, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has said, pushing back at critics of the massive wage hike across the political directorate.

The parliamentary Opposition has also sought to clear up the seeming confusion over its stance on the contentious issue, saying that most of its members were “surprised” by the levels of increases but are in support of it.

The Government and the Opposition were responding to public backlash over wage increases of over 200 per cent for the prime minister, his deputy, Cabinet ministers and their juniors, as well as members of Parliament (MPs), which were announced by Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke on Tuesday.

JCC SLAMMED MOVE

The Jamaica Council of Churches (JCC) slammed the move yesterday, saying that an increase of 200 per cent “flies in the face of the sad realities which the majority of Jamaicans face on a daily basis”.

The JCC said the increases are “ungracious and inequitable” when viewed against the background of the economic conditions of the average Jamaican, and especially the poor.

“We call on the Government to reconsider its intentions and recast the salary packages for government officials which bears sensitivity to and solidarity with the conditions of ordinary Jamaicans and reflects equity in both quantitative and qualitative respects,” the church group said in a statement.

Opposition Spokesman on Finance Julian Robinson insisted, too, that the issue of equity needs to be urgently addressed with other public-sector groups.

Expected ‘fallout’

Noting that he expected the “fallout”, Holness said successive administrations have been afraid to address the issue of compensation for the political class because “people are going to say you no deserve it”.

“Why should we pay you more and the country not running well?” he questioned, reciting a critical argument that has dominated raging public debates over the wage hike.

“The country is not running well because of that very reason. You have chosen to have an underpaid political class, how must they deliver?” said Holness, who was addressing a wreath-laying ceremony for former Prime Minister Hugh Shearer.

“The truth is you get the political leadership that you pay [for].”

According to the prime minister, the Cabinet “agonised” over whether to grant a wage increase to the political directorate.

“It was not something that we took lightly because we know that there are persons who will try to make political fodder over it,” he said.

Holness predicted that the wage hike will attract some of the best talents – from councillor to prime minister - that would have overlooked politics or opted to migrate.

“You are going to see a greater interest in the political field. So everyone who is occupying a political office ought to be thinking carefully that I need to increase my political performance,” he said, warning that more young people with higher educational qualifications and skill levels are angling for their jobs.

The wage hike seemingly had the support of the Parliamentary Opposition.

Following the announcement in Parliament by the finance minister, Robinson said his side “takes no issue with what the minister has announced”.

ABOUT-FACE

But in an apparent about-face, the People’s National Party (PNP), which forms the Opposition, later said it strongly objected to the move.

The PNP argued that the Government has failed to address the lingering concerns of public servants while lavishly rewarding Cabinet ministers and members of parliament.

Robinson explained yesterday that his statement in Parliament reflected “discussions and dialogue” within his People’s National Party (PNP).

“The consensus view was that we should not reject any increase that was being awarded to us,” he said, insisting that the levels of increases were not known to them at the time of the internal PNP discussions.

He said when Clarke announced the new salaries it came as a “surprise” to most MPs on the Opposition side.

“I will accept now that probably the better thing to have done at that time was have a recess and speak to my colleagues to determine whether the same position we took going in was the same position that stood given the levels of increases,” Robinson said.