Leading by example

We do not begrudge people in public life their entitlement to fair pay. But that entitlement does not trump the interests of the population at large, many of whom are paid far less and who struggle to make ends meet. In a time when economic prospects have been dimmed by a poorly structured economy and lowered oil and gas prices, any move to even consider a pay increase for MPs, judges and public servants will draw disapproval.

Indeed, the SRC’s own engagement of consultants to start a months-long process of review has already been met with disapprobation in some quarters, even if this is premature. After the international consultants complete their assessment it is for the SRC to deliberate and to put forward recommendations to Parliament. That’s not likely to happen any time soon. Rudden’s statement at President’s House on Tuesday gave a rare insight into the thinking of the SRC. In unusually candid remarks, he made it plain that the body would consider the economic climate in determining if it should recommend any form of increase to anybody.

“You have to consider things like economic capacity to pay,” the chairman told reporters at President’s House moments after a new member of the SRC was sworn in. “Obviously it is not good. It is difficult to raise salaries in an economy that is not doing well... One of the factors you would consider would be the budgetary impact of any set of increases.” For sure, any increases would worsen inflation. Rudden’s statements came just as the Central Statistical Office (CSO) said the retail price of goods increased by 0.2 per- cent in July compared with June. Contributing significantly to this increase was the general upward movement in the prices of tomatoes, garlic, fresh whole chicken, ochroes,
cabbage, Irish potatoes, parboiled rice, white flour, lettuce, and sweet potatoes.

However, the CSO said the full impact of the price increases was offset by the general decrease in the prices of fresh carite, cucumber, chive, full cream milk, other breakfast cereals (not cornflakes), fresh steak (beef), other chilled or frozen chicken, fresh king fish, celery, and orange. Any move to hike salaries would not only engage budgetary questions but further have an impact on the delicate balance in the food basket.

We welcome Rudden’s pragmatic approach, as well as Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s swift declaration that there would be no increases “until we get past this point.” In a television interview on Wednesday, Rowley said the year 2016 was a difficult one and warned the coming year will also be difficult, with difficult decisions to be made. A related matter is the place of the SRC in the system of governance. The body is independent (Rudden remarked, “It’s one of the few commissions that all parliamentarians don’t like”). Politicians have often said the SRC’s findings are not binding. But an argument can be made that it is morally inappropriate for these same politicians to determine their own pay.

It also remains true that the political executive should not control the pay of judges. Which is why it behooves the SRC to have as wide a scope of inquiry as possible when setting conditions. None of this is to say people are not entitled to proper pay. Indeed, politicians these days operate 24/7 and often sacrifice much to serve the public. Often, the public does not see when things go right, they see when they go wrong. Yet, how can any State official in good conscience sit down and raise their own salary before attending to the plight of others in society? The Government should stabilise the economy and diversify the streams of revenue first before patting itself on the back with a pay increase. Meanwhile, it should lead by example.