Jamaicans will spend over $155 million on salaries for members of the new Government yearly. This is $40 million cheaper than the cost of maintaining Portia Simpson Miller’s team.
In addition to the big bucks, the new ministers will be getting free cars, drivers, houses and maids, all paid for by taxpayers.
Portia Simpson Miller’s 28-member executive, which consisted of 20 ministers and eight junior ministers, was costing the country $195 million in salary and allowances per year before the change of Government.
New Prime Minister Andrew Holness yesterday named a 22-member executive comprising of 18 ministers and four junior ministers.
changing government
“This is the first signal that we intend to be efficient and frugal in Government. This is a tangible difference that we are not only interested in changing government, but we are committed to changing how government works,” Holness said at King’s House yesterday.
The ministers will each be provided with two housekeepers, travelling allowance of $1.2 million each, $276,420 for housing, and $30,000 for telephone expenses. Finance Minister Audley Shaw will be paid a yearly basic salary of $5.9 million, which will increase to $7.5 million when allowances are added. Other cabinet members will be paid $7.1 million including allowances, while the four junior ministers will earn $6.3 million per year also including allowances.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness will earn a salary of $8.6 million per year when allowances are added, and he will also be provided with a house and car.
I think dem shouldah suspend di house thing. Why all these people haffi get house and cyar, a wah dem did live innah and deh drive before, dem did live a road, was tecking taxi or wah. In a country so pauperized dem fi try knock out some a dem extras yah man…
I still see alot of fat that need to be cut e.g 2 maids for what??all that’s gonna happen is the ministers gonna be in affair with them….sumn jus not sitting well with me
I am glad for the $40 million in cuts. Housing allowance is probably necessary for the individuals who live far away from the government district. However, if that is the case, the $1.2 million that will be allocated for travel must be for international travel and how frequently will they need to go overseas, if at all?
Overall, this is a move in the right direction and as such, we have to commend the Prime Minister.
Something missing,what about the security detail for protection.Andrew how much will spend for yours.
Still feel some of these politricians aim for government because of the perks.Some should be forced to live like how some of their constituents live no running water no toilet no roads and have to travel far.Why should some continue to gethe government money just because them have a seat yet no money spending on the people.
Some should lose some perks for poor performance then lead up to losing the job.
The saga continues,same foolishness different party,waiting on it but still hoping for a better Ja
Side Eye, of course, becoming a politician in Jamaica is one of the clearest paths for upward mobility.
Is regular police do the protection part. The police force have a unit for that.
I still believe that budget need tweaking to cut some more cost. We don’t have it Mr Andrew. Go to the country and look for miss Mary, miss Puncy or even me and I will keep d house cleaner dan whistle, dash two lick a d pikney dem backside when necessary for way less.
The cabinet should be as big as is necessary and not big enough to please small thinkers.
You think Apple or Google try to be frugal with staffing? They go for the best and give them the best tools to do the job.
Why don’t we have an environmental minister when our country is so vulnerable to environmental disasters and so dependent on the environment for a living?
Cutting cost is good. I hope this is not ah one time thing and that they will strive to keep cutting cost. Mi agree seh dem nuh need car, but ah car allowance would suffice. Wid dem salary dem can more dan afford dem owna maid. Di country kaint afford dat…:travel
The theif dem nuh shame..PNP is a set a theif all dem do is theif up tax payers money and keep the country poor