Ganga Singh complains of ‘great disparity’ in pay hikes

He was commenting on the Report of the Salaries Review Commission which was tabled in the House of Representa-tives yesterday.

Singh said the SRC clearly didn’t understand the current role of Opposition members. He said the UNC would be requesting a House Committee meeting to deal with the issue.

The report recommends a compensation package of $57,000 (tax-free) plus allowances for the President and for the PM $60,000 (salary $48,000, duty allowance of $7,200, transportation allowance of $4,000) plus perks (official residence, a fleet of cars etc). The SRC proposed a compensation package of $47,000 a month plus allowances and other perks for ministers and $38,350 plus allowances and other perks for the Opposition Leader.

Parliamentary Secretaries — $30,000; The Speaker of the House of Representatives — a cash compensation package of approximately $30,000 plus other perks; members of the Senate (who hold no ministerial portfolio) — $14,000; members of the House of Representa-tives (who hold no other portfolio) — $17,500. Virtually all of these office holders get a maximum loan of $300,000 at concessionary interest rates for a car which is exempted from taxes. There are also medical and other benefits for many of these positions..

In the Judiciary, the monthly cash compensation tax-free packages recommended are: Chief Justice — $61,000 plus perks; Ombudsman — $46,000 plus other perks; Auditor General — $31,000 plus perks; Judges — $54,000 plus perks; Industrial Court Chairman — $45,000 plus perks; Member of the Industrial Court — $38,500; Tax Appeal Board — $37,750 plus perks; Chairman of Environmental Commission — $48,200 plus perks; magistrates — approximately $29,800.

In the public sector, the recommended cash compensation package is as follows: Permanent Secretaries — $41,000 to $48,000; WASA’s Executive Director — $34,200 plus perks; PTSC General Manager — $30,200; Niherst President — $37,700 plus perks; National Library Executive Director — $37,700.

In the Police Service: Police Commissioner: $36,150 plus perks; Deputy Police Commissioners — $30,000; Director of the Anti-crime Unit — $36,150.

The commissions: Integrity Commis-sion Chairman — $31,600; EBC Chairman — $22,550; Public Service Commission Chairman — $22,000; Police Service Commission Chairman — $7,400; Judicial and Legal Service Commission Chairman — $7,400 (members on these commissions — $6,100.

Perks for all the positions covered by the SRC also include car loans, subsistence allowances and other benefits.

In the Local Government, mayors — receive between $19,500 for the Port-of-Spain Mayor and $16,000 for the Point Fortin and Arima Mayors. As usual, councillors were very badly treated and were recommended to receive a mere $4,500 a month.

For THA officers, the recommendation for the cash compensation of the Chief Secretary is $42,000 plus perks; Secretaries — $28,000; assemblymen — $12,500.

The SRC stated that the average compensation packages in the Public Service continues to lag behind those in the private sector.