EDITORIAL - Seriously discuss MPs' salaries

Given its content, we are surprised that the recent speech in Mandeville by Senator Arthur Williams, the junior finance minister with responsibility for public-sector salaries, has not attracted more attention and debate.

Mr Williams spoke with refreshing honesty about the need to adjust the salaries of parliamentarians, warning that it was not an issue from which the country could continue to hide for much longer.

On that point, he is in accord with this newspaper.

The truth is that the compensation of legislators is a hot-button issue that governments have been afraid to deal with, given the low esteem in which politicians are held and the poor returns most Jamaicans believe they have received on the national investment in them.

Indeed, it is the widely held view that politicians are an incompetent and corrupt species, who seek and use public office primarily for private benefit. That is, in many cases, probably true.

However, we believe that any impulse to corruption is exacerbated by the relatively poor compensation the society affords legislators, who are expected to seriously represent the interests of their constituents as well as formulate effective laws and policies for the development of the country.

Jamaica may not, at this time, be able to afford proper adjustment of the salaries of members of parliament (MPs). That, however, should not prevent a serious conversation about what ought to be proper pay for our political representatives and what should be expected of them in return.

Useful proposals

In that regard, we might start with the recommendations of the Clarke Committee nearly a decade ago, which the Government has been wary of discussing for fear of a backlash from taxpayers and public-sector employees who have struggled with a poor-performing economy and pay freezes.

That report, nonetheless, has some useful ideas, including, after an initial adjustment of salaries, setting annual pay rises at half the rate of Jamaica's inflation, but subject to a cap of the average inflation of our major trading partners. That, on the face of it, would induce our political leaders to pursue policies that encourage economic stability, as they could not expect their wages to track inflation.

The Clarke report also suggested that MPs receive a salary top-up for being accountable and transparent about their performance in their constituencies by producing verifiable reports on their activities.

It is time for a mature discourse on these issues unless we expect to be always suspicious about those whom we send to Parliament.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.