Outrage mounts over massive salary increases for VPs, Ministers

…Harmon says increases justified inspite of Govt being only four months in office

By Michael Younge

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon on Wednesday defended the Cabinet’s decision to increase its own pay by millions of dollars, declaring that it was “justified”.

Harmon made the comment after being plagued by a plethora of questions from sections of the local media following revelations by this newspaper that the four-month-old David Granger Government had increased the salaries of its Cabinet members by over Gy$266, 119, 248 even in the face of widespread condemnation and concern by the public and other stakeholders.

When Guyana Times International broke the story two months ago, the Government denied having deliberate intentions of implementing significant increases in the salaries of Executive Members and instead said that they were only being “considered”.

On September 25, following the Minister’s budgetary presentation in the National Assembly, the Government then gazetted the increases secretly without being forthcoming with the media and public that it had indeed worked out the scale, quantum and criterion for the increases which many believed were not going to be pursued within the new Government’s first months in office.

But State Minister Harmon on Tuesday said that the Government had to pay itself well if it wanted itself to perform well.

“It is justifiable, we cannot have a situation like the PPP where they were prepared to accept low salaries, because they were thieving money all over the place. We cannot have that,” the Minister stated.

“I am not going to say that I make any apologies whatsoever for Ministers getting increase in salaries, they deserve it,” he added.

Minister Harmon said that he would not work for the salary of Gy$560, 000 paid by the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to Ministers of Government regardless of their rank.

“…That is money I paid to my attorneys who worked with me when I was in private practice…why should I be working for that…?” Minister Harmon protested.

Outrage

The Minister’s statement sent shockwaves throughout the country given the fact that the new Government and its Ministers have only been in office for four months.

On social media, several Guyanese voiced their concerns over the Government’s decision to increase its pay by millions of dollars and compared that with what was being offered to the public servants by a seemingly pro-working class Government.

Additionally, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) President Komal Chand is quoted as describing the move as “callous” and “shocking”.

Facts

Under the order, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who vehemently protested the extravagant lifestyle of the former PPP/C Ministers and had condemned the super salaries paid to its Government officials, will now receive an increased salary of over Gy$20, 580, 000 annually.

The three other Vice Presidents (Khemraj Ramjattan, Carl Greenidge and Sydney Allicock) who will now pocket Gy$11, 135, 064 annually will altogether cost the public purse Gy$33, 405, 192 per annum.

Surprisingly, no official figure was released for Attorney General Basil Williams’ salary, but Guyana Times International learnt that he could earn over Gy$18, 000, 000.

Additionally, no figures were released yet for increases in the President’s salary which this newspaper understands may have been jacked up to a whopping Gy$2,000, 000 minus allowances and benefits.

The Senior Ministers in Government namely Catherine Hughes, Joseph Harmon, Ronald Bulkan, Noel Holder, Amna Ally, Winston Felix, Rupert Roopnaraine, Raphael Trotman, Dr George Norton, David Patterson, Dominic Gaskin, Volda Lawrence and Winston Jordan will cost the public purse over Gy$10, 439, 124 per annum. Altogether, they will rack up a bill of Gy$135, 708, 612 annually.

In addition, the Junior Ministers namely Jaipaul Sharma, Simona Broomes, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Annette Ferguson, Nicolette Henry, Karen Cummings and Keith Scott will pocket Gy$8, 346, 492 annually. Altogether the public purse will be charged Gy$58,425, 444 per annum for these recently-appointed Ministers.

Benefits

Each Minister of Government is entitled to benefits and allowances which amount to over Gy$500, 000 per month.

Given this rate, all of the Ministers’ and their benefits could cost the treasury Gy$13,500, 000 monthly and Gy$162, 000, 000 at the end of one year.

In addition to their huge salaries and benefits, all 27 Ministers will each be receiving a duty allowance, an entertainment allowance, Gy$45,000 housing allowance; and chauffeur allowance of over Gy$100,000.

It must be reminded that ironically both APNU and the AFC, prior to taking office in May 2015, had vigorously spoken out against the “abuse” of taxpayers’ money to fill the pockets of “greedy” Government officials.

Carl Greenidge, the then Shadow Finance Minister, had even written a letter to the Stabroek News just before the elections, in which he complained about the “lifestyle” of PPP/C Ministers.

“PPP Ministers have always paid themselves higher salaries than existed prior to their assumption of office…By 2014, the Minister of Finance was receiving Gy$579, 951, and today the PPP Ministers’ vacation allowance at Gy$420,000 is ten times the minimum wage.”

In August, former President Bharrat Jagdeo had stated that the coalition Government had ‘duped’ the Guyanese populace when it had highlighted its proposed salary increases for public servants in the 2015 National Budget.

He said it was “nothing spectacular”, and was less in comparison to what his Party, while in power, had been offering. (micyounge@guyanatimesgy.com)