BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IT is believed in some quarters that Ministers of Government are not being remunerated commensurate with their responsibilities and that they deserve a significant salary bump. For that to take place however, the right conditions – legislative and otherwise – must be present.
These are G. A. Dwyer Astaphan’s expressed sentiments when he was interviewed by SKNVibes yesterday (Nov. 22).
Astaphan, a former Minister of Government (resigned in 2008), said Government Ministers get paid less than middle managers in some private firms and also less than middle to upper level managers of public corporations, even though they have a more difficult task.
“Ministers are paid less than $9,000 a month. Middle-managers in the private sector are paid more than that. In fact, there are people working in government corporations whose salary and benefits package is bigger than that of Government Ministers.
“So the salary of a Government Minister – and this is not just for today but for as long as I have known it – is not commensurate with the responsibilities that come with the job. In my opinion, Ministers are underpaid.”
While he agrees that Government Ministers deserve a salary boost, Astaphan said such should not take place until the requisite legislative and other anti-corruption framework is properly installed and functioning effectively.
“However, I will say this, while Ministers need to be paid fairly – and I don’t think they are paid fairly – the slightest aberration from propriety should be punished severely. In other words, pay them well but if they step short of the mark and do anything wrong, penalize them severely.
“Perhaps if one wants to make the argument that the inadequately salary and benefits package for a Minister might induce some people to come for the job to behave improperly in the cause of their own unjust personal enrichment, then maybe one can have that conversation. And I am not blaming anybody or accusing anybody of anything, I am just speaking in general terms.
“They must abide by the highest standard and if they don’t, then you punish them severely. And if you want good people you have to pay them. How much does TDC or Horsford’s and RAMS pay a middle manager or a middle to upper level manager? I bet it is more than what a Minister gets.”
This framework, he said, includes the passage of Integrity in Public Life and Freedom of Information Legislation “to ensure that no slickness occurs and they earn their money honestly and righteously”.
It has been at least seven years since Ministers of Government received a salary increase.
