JAMAICA: Massive salary increases for politicians; PM declines offer

Members of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers in Jamaica are to receive a more than 200 per cent increase in salaries.

Earlier this month, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Nigel Clarke made the announcement in the House of Representatives, with the increases expected to run over a three-year period ending in April 2025.

Dr Clarke said the increases are part of the government’s compensation restructuring for the public service. He outlined the increases which will see the Prime Minister receive JMD $22.3m as of April 1, 2022, JMD $25.3m in April 2023 and JMD $28.6m as of April 1, 2024, which represents a 214 per cent hike.

For the Deputy Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, JMD $20.1m in 2022, JMD $22.7m in 2023 and JMD $25.7m in 2024 and the Finance Minister, JMD $19.2m in 2022, JMD $21.7m in 2023 and JMD $24.6m in 2024.

Other increases as outlined by Clarke are:

• Cabinet Ministers and Speaker of the House – JMD $17.8m in 2022, JMD $20.2m in 2023 and JMD $22.8m in 2024.
• Minister of State – JMD $14.3m in 2022, JMD $16.2m in 2023 and JMD $18.3m in 2024
• Parliamentary Secretary and Deputy Speaker of the House – JMD $13.4m in 2022, JMD $15.2m in 2023 and JMD $17.2m in 2024
• Member of Parliament – JMD $11.1m in 2022, JMD $12.5m in 2023 and JMD $14.2m in 2024.
• At the local government level, the Mayor of Kingston will be paid JMD $11.4m in 2024, the Mayor of Montego Bay $10.3m, while the Mayor of Portmore and other mayors will take home JMD $9.9m.
• Parish councillors will see their salaries move from JMD $1.6m in 2021 to JMD $5.7m next year.

Last Monday amid backlash from church leaders, the public as well as members of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), Prime Minister, Andrew Holness made an announcement at a press conference that he will be declining the salary increase.

“I have directed the Transformation Implementation Unit to remove the Prime Minister’s compensation from the new salary scale. The Prime Minister’s compensation will, therefore, remain at its previous levels,” PM Holness said. He also added that no retroactive payments will be made either.

The salary adjustments to the political directorate at the local and national levels will cost taxpayers $1.7 billion for the three fiscal years, according to figures provided by the Finance Minister.

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