President of Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) Lincoln Lewis does not view the 50% increase in ministers’ salaries as a negative but critiqued the manner in which it was done.
“We believe, as a trade union, in a wage-led economy… that people must be paid appropriately and across the board at all strata,” Lewis said at a news conference, where he was questioned on the issue.
He explained that it would be wrong to condemn the increase in light of his belief in a wage-led economy. That being said, the veteran trade unionist added that while he is not against the increase, he was concerned mainly with the process in which the increases were applied.
“It is so much for us the way the entire matter was handled. The point is that two months ago, the Minister of Governance [Raphael Trotman] said it was not on the agenda. The most appropriate thing that had to be done was for the government to come out and issue a statement that a decision has been taken and justify it,” he said.
The secrecy and the unapologetic position of the government in the implementation of the increase is what made the process a bad one, he asserted.
He pointed out that such things are reminiscent of the past. “We have been able to get rid of the PPP. The new coalition has come in and doing almost the same thing,” he said.
Lewis explained that there is a difference between public and private employment. “Public service is not about the money but what you can do for the people,” he said.
“If you want to become rich, then go into the private sector…,” he said, while noting that the concept of public sector must be understood. He further stated that a justification was not properly packaged and delivered to the people.
Lewis recommended that measures and institutions be put in place to prevent corruption by officials as he does not fully buy the government’s argument that the increases would serve as a deterrent.
Listening to the response of the opposition, he said the PPP played down the increase for the parliamentarians. “What is going to happen to the people below?” he questioned.
Lewis’ statements came a day after President of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Patrick Yarde stated, “I do not object to the increase in salaries. I have a list of personnel from the previous government who were being paid higher salaries… The only concern that I have is that similar consideration must be given to other qualified persons.”
The PPP has condemned the “ugly decision” by the APNU+AFC administration to grant “whopping” salary increases to ministers. In a statement, the opposition party called for a rescinding of this decision.
According to the Official Gazette, Cabinet ministers will now receive $10,439,124 annually, a 50% increase from what was previously stated in the Principal Act.
Junior ministers will earn $8,346,492, an over 16% increase from the annual salary of a Cabinet minister under the former administration, who was earning $6,959,412 annually.
The Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, will now receive $20,580,000 annually, an over $2M increase from what was previously stipulated in the Principal Act, taking his monthly salary to over $1.7M.
Vice-Presidents, other than the Prime Minister, are to be paid $11,135,064 per annum.
Also enjoying a 50% increase will be the Speaker of the National Assembly, who will remain on par with Cabinet ministers as well as the Leader of the Opposition.
While in opposition, APNU and the AFC had heavily criticised what they termed “fat cat” salaries. When asked to justify the increase on Tuesday, State Minister Joseph Harmon told reporters that “the ministers of government now justify an increase. The salary of a minister, a senior minister is five hundred and sixty something thousand a month. That is money I paid to one of my attorneys that works for me when I was in private practice. Why should I be working for that?”
