Jamaican Opposition Leader Mark Golding declared on Friday that he will donate 80% of the pay rise announced for legislators and public officials to charitable causes.
“I entered politics not to enrich myself, but to serve the people of Jamaica,” he stated.
Dr. Nigel Clarke, Finance Minister, informed Parliament earlier this week that annual changes had been made across the entire administrative leadership level of the public sector in order to recruit and maintain high-caliber leadership.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated at an event commemorating the 100th birthday of previous Prime Minister Hugh Lawson Shearer that the wage modifications will allow for greater participation in politics.
“Everyone in a political office should be thinking very carefully about how I can improve my political performance because there are many young people out there now who are looking at entering the political field with higher educational qualifications, higher skill levels, and higher competencies,” he said.
As a result of the revised wages, Holness will receive J$28.6 million (one Jamaican dollar equals US$0.008 cents) each year beginning April 1, 2019, while Golding will receive $25.7 million.
Golding told reporters that he would keep 20% of his salary raise while donating the rest to charitable organizations.
“At a time like this, I must lead by example as Leader of the Opposition.” As a result, I will channel the most of the 240 percent increase in my compensation, keeping 20% and donating the rest to people in need and other great causes.
“I intend to do so until the outstanding grievances of public sector workers resulting from the restructuring have been satisfactorily addressed,” he continued.
Golding, an attorney and investment banker, also pointed out that the Opposition Leader is the only lawmaker on the Opposition benches whose income is in the senior executive leadership level.
He stated that the other 13 opposition MPs, whose wages will increase to J$14.2 million in April, are discussing how to effectively cope with their unique situations.
However, he restated the opposition party’s prior appeal for the hikes to lawmakers to be halted until outstanding issues impacting public sector workers are fully resolved.
According to Golding, the idea of equity was violated in the new public sector pay arrangements, leaving many public sector workers out in the cold.
“In this context, the massive award to the political class further offends that principle of equity,” Golding said, adding that the level of the increases will put Jamaican politicians’ salaries far above their counterparts in the region who are experiencing better and more sustained GDP growth.
“That is a difficult situation to justify given that we have one of the lowest GDP per capita rates among our regional peers and Jamaica has yet to break out of its chronic low economic growth pattern.”
“This salary mechanism will need to be revisited under the next PNP government,” Holness told reporters, dismissing Prime Minister Holness’ statement that the hikes will lure the brightest people into politics.
“Nowhere in the world is monetary compensation used as an inducement to enter politics and serve one’s country honestly.” What our society needs right now is to attract, motivate, and retain people in our teaching, nursing, and law enforcement professions, among others.”
