THE Salaries Review Commission can’t be serious.
The rationale for proposing generous salary increases for public office-holders is borderline offensive.
The remuneration packages “have been determined based on a fair comparison with levels of remuneration paid within the private sector for broadly comparable jobs…”
But in the private sector, there are no prime ministers, heads of state, and the many other public offices for which the SRC recommends compensation.
More than that, the private sector sustains itself and grants salary increases based on profits and growth in a sharply competitive environment.
How can that be compared with a prime minister whose performance is not measured, especially one under whom there is a spree of social and economic problems?
The SRC relied on irrelevant human resources yardsticks, such as a job evaluation exercise and compensation package.
At a time of financial hardship across the land, the proposed package for the Prime Minister is staggering, even provocative.
The deal includes a monthly salary of $80,000, a monthly transportation allowance of $6,600, subsistence for travel to Tobago, “official residences,” repayment for all entertainment expenses, 30 days a year vacation leave.
Also, US $150 a day subsistence allowance, accommodation and meals while abroad, phone, internet, medical, and a full pension.
In addition, “a fleet of official motor officials, fully furnished by the State,” a personal chauffeur, and access to soft loans.
A nation’s leader must be appropriately compensated, but the Prime Minister has imposed a four per cent salary increase on public workers because of his contention that the country cannot afford more.
The only way more than four per cent could be granted “is to cut employment in the public service,” he said last year.
That increase covers a decade, dating back to 2014, during which time there have been galloping increases in the cost of living.
Some food essentials cost 100 per cent more than 10 years ago.
Travel and accommodation costs have also climbed.
The recent hike in the minimum wage has been gobbled up by price increases imposed by the business sector to offset the higher wage bill.
There is increasing poverty, including child destitution.
To be fair, the Prime Minister has not indicated that the Government will implement the SRC’s proposals.
All public officers under the SRC’s purview must publicly reject the obscene proposal.
