PM announces performance evaluation measures for MPs and ministers

Amid the ongoing backlash over the massive salary increases for politicians, Prime Minister Andrew Holness says a performance evaluation mechanism will be put in place for members of parliament (MPs) and ministers, some with immediate effect.

Speaking at a press conference today, Holness says the following accountability measures for MPs and Cabinet ministers that will be implemented are:

1. Written job description to be tabled in Parliament.

2. The Code of Ethics to be enhanced for MPs and ministers, which will be reviewed at the next Cabinet meeting.

3. Financial penalties for unexplained absences from sittings of Parliament and committee meetings.

4. Written accountability reports to be done by MPs.

5. Special training for MPs and senators for them to be certified. The first course will be on Parliamentary Procedures, Practices and Standing Order.

6. Ministers are to publish targets and policy goals, which will be tabled as Ministry Paper.

“Now, when we make these accountability measures, we have to be cognisant of how they change the nature of our parliamentary government. Cabinet has a fundamental principle of collective responsibility, so the action of one member is the responsibility, technically, of all members,” Holness said.

“Dividing it up like this will bring individual pressures, and it might change certain dynamics, but I think it is necessary to bring the public to a point where they can have confidence that the cover of collective responsibility is not being taken advantage of, and that some ministers are working and others are not.”

The prime minister noted that each year before the Budget, the Cabinet goes on retreat, and each minister declares what their priorities are, which he monitors and manages.

“But now I will have the help of the public in monitoring and managing what the ministers commit to do, in addition to what I give as directions to be done,” he noted.

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