FINANCE Minister, Winston Jordan is of the view that a Salaries Review Commission should be established here as is the case in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.Speaking at his year-end press conference on Monday, the Minister of Finance said having such a commission would remove the burden of dealing with salary adjustments from the Executive.

“I believe what we need is a Salaries Review Commission that would deal with offices like the legislature, judiciary because these are always going to be contentious areas…”

The minister said in other Caricom member states that have established the commission, it is tasked with reviewing salaries on a tri-annual basis.

He said too that certain categories of workers earning over $1M are complaining that their salaries are too low.

Additionally, the minister chided efforts by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) to paint the picture that the Coalition Government has paid its ministers excessively since taking office.

He rebutted the 50 per cent pay out to all Government ministers, noting that 50 per cent salary increase was paid in June 2015 to eight ministers of the Government. “The percentages vary,” he added, noting that the 50 per cent mantra is inaccurate.

Jordan told reporters that Government ministers received as low as 4.7 per cent up to 50 per cent increase in their salaries and said Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo received the lowest salary increase.

Only senior ministers of the Government and the three Vice-Presidents received 50 per cent increase in salary, he stated.

“If you really want to compare percentages then fine, the entire increase ranging from 4.7 per cent for Mr. Nagamootoo to 50 per cent for other ministers was $65M annually. You know what’s the bill for the 1-10 per cent increase that we paid this year? — Billions… couple billion dollars!” Jordan declared.

Additionally, the Finance Minister has made it clear that since receiving an increase in salary back in 2015; Government ministers are yet to benefit from more.

“Ministers have not enjoyed any subsequent increase – we have not enjoyed any subsequent increase… and I don’t see us getting one in a hurry.”

In a bid to justify the actions of the Government, Minister Jordan reminded that during the period to which ministers received an increase in their salaries there was an increase in the country’s minimum wage from $39,520 to $55,000.

“The ex-president increased his salary from $200,000+ in 2006 to $1.3M in 2011 that is a 500 per cent increase,” said Jordan in defence of his Government’s actions.

Meanwhile, during his 2017 budget debates presentation, Prime Minister Moses lashed out at the opposition for spreading what he deemed to be untruth about the salary increases.

He said the Official Gazette outlines the increases received by all Cabinet ministers. Cabinet ministers are now receiving $10,439,124 annually, a 50 per cent increase from what was previously stated in the Principal Act. Also benefitting in the 50 per cent increase grouping is Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland, who will remain on par with Cabinet ministers as well as the Leader of the Opposition, whose monthly earnings will be just under $870,000 from the $579,000 monthly under the previous administration.

Meanwhile, Vice Presidents are being paid $11,135,064 per annum while Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo now earns $20,580,000 annually, receiving a monthly salary of over $1.7M.

Junior Ministers of Government earn $8,346,492, an over 16 per cent increase from the annual salary of a Cabinet minister under the former administration, who was earning $6,959,412 annually.

Additionally, other Members of Parliament received a 20 per cent salary increase, taking their annual salaries from $2,002,116 to $2,402,532.

Additionally, the Prime Minister said Parliamentary Secretaries, as well as the Chief Whip and the Chief Opposition Whip also received salary increases of 12 per cent on their salaries.

“In 1992, as senior minister my salary was $20,483.41, by 2015, a senior minister was getting $579.951 monthly. In 1992, PM got $28,725.83 but in 2015, salary was jacked up to $1,549,389. AG salary in 2015 was higher than PM at $1,630,935.

“So, these defenders of the poor, these non-pick pocketers, climbed up the gravy train by stealth! In 1992, the Opposition Leader was paid $24,988.41, in 2016 it is $870,000… but the chief defender of the poor rejected the $870,000 and chose pension of $1.4M,” the Prime Minster said of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.