Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran has condemned the 50% wage hike approved by the Granger administration for its Cabinet ministers and called for its rescinding.
In his accountability column which will appear in tomorrow’s edition of Stabroek News, Goolsarran said there had been quite justifiably, a tsunami of criticisms and condemnation from all sections of the Guyanese society.
He said that while there was some anticipation that there would be some adjustment to the salaries of Ministers in recognition of the fact that there are now two categories of Ministers and three Vice-Presidents, “one is alarmed at the extent of the increase”. Goolsarran argued that ministers also enjoy a range of benefits, including duty-free concession on a motor vehicle by virtue of being Members of Parliament; chauffeur-driven State vehicle(s); housing allowance or the provision of free accommodation; free electricity, telephone and internet services; 24-hour guard service; a gardener/handyman; and maid services. He argued that when one places a value on these benefits, it is not difficult to consider that a Minister’s total monthly compensation package is in the order of millions of dollars.
“Citizens who aspire to hold political office do so because of the felt need to make a contribution to the public good and the public interest. They are not motivated by financial rewards. If that were the case, the wrong persons will be attracted to political office. This column joins in condemnation of the Government’s move, and calls on the Government to rescind its decision to grant Ministers a 50% increase in salaries. If there is going to be an increase, it should not exceed that which has been given to public servants. After all, Ministers in a general sense are also public servants, and there should therefore be no discrimination between them and the regular public servants in this regard”, he declared.
