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Chairman of the Salaries Review Committee, Mr. Charles Brisbane, OBE, (second from the right), presents a bound copy of the Report to St. Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas (second from the left) as Committe members, Mr. Omax Gardner (l) and Mr. Emile Ferdinand (r) look on. (Photo by Erasmus Williams) |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MAY 10TH 2005 The Independent Salaries Committee, appointed to review the salaries of Members of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly, has presented its Report to Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas.
Parliamentarians and Ministers of Government last had a salary increase in 1999 and semi-retired businessman and Chairman of the three-man Committee, Mr. Charles Brisbane O.B.E., presented his Report with recommendations to Prime Minister Douglas on Tuesday afternoon.
The other two members of the Committee, businessman and auditor, Mr. Omax Gardner and Attorney at Law and former Acting High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Mr. Emile Ferdinand, attended the presentation.
Prime Minister Douglas thanked Mr. Brisbane and the other members for the work done over the past months.
It has been a departure from what has been practiced by previous Administrations and is part of the new (Labour Party) culture of public consultation, public discussion, public information and openness, said Prime Minister Douglas.
The Report, containing recommendations on salaries, allowances and other benefits and entitlements of Parliamentarians and Cabinet Ministers, will be submitted to Cabinet and to the National Assembly.
The Salaries Review Committee held a number of public consultations both in St. Kitts and Nevis and met with several organisations including the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), the St. Kitts-Nevis Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the political leaders of the Nevis Reformation Party and the Peoples Action Movement.
Prime Minister Douglas pointed out last August, that although he has inherited the practice, he always felt very uncomfortable sitting in Cabinet and deciding on salary increases for Members of the Cabinet and Members of Parliament.
I do not think it is appropriate for Cabinet Members and Parliamentarians to set their own salaries. Cabinet Members have therefore, in this same vein decided to subject their own salaries and allowances to review by an independent commission that would make the necessary recommendations as to what levels of increase, if any, they should receive, Prime Minister Douglas said.
