Online feedback

Below is feedback from readers of jamaica-gleaner.com on The Gavel's commentary on the salaries of ECJ commissioners:

Ridiculous pay

With the economic condition the country is in, Mr Shaw should know that it is ridiculous to pay part-time commissioners $8 million per year. This is obscene, especially when there is a shortage of everything in the hospitals and there are schools without indoor toilets.

It seems to me that people are paid based on their qualifications, not on their performance. This country will not move forward until the reverse happens.

- Lenny

Give jobs to civil servants

There are too many overpaid consultants doing jobs which can and should be done by ordinary civil servants.

- Mid_towner

A Worthy price

This sounds like a witch-hunt. Jamaica's electoral system is being benchmarked by several countries. At least we can get something right, and that is a very small price to pay for a system that works!

What about teachers?

What a disgrace! Each commissioner gets $8 million! Then Audley Shaw has the nerve not to pay the poor teachers who work so hard to educate the children of Jamaica.

- Whitemarion

Country can't afford it

If I were a commissioner sitting on the ECJ, I would be smiling all the way to the bank, and without one shred of guilt, because Jamaicans allow this.

Should we expect any better? No! And I bet Audley Shaw will not take a knife to it, nor will he fix this horrible law that allows people like the commissioners on the ECJ to earn what the country cannot afford to pay.

- dranks

Unconscionable

Holy Mother of God! How could we have so many well-paid individuals forming a commission which could allow persons to be elected when they weren't qualified? Admittedly, they have seen through the process. However, there is now no justification for them to be so scandalously remunerated.

I am certain that all these persons have their substantive jobs. We should not hold our breath that Minister Shaw will be doing anything about this anytime soon unless there is a concerted effort by civil society to right this egregious wrong.

- kris