In a recent press briefing at Jamaica House, Prime Minister Andrew Holness revealed his decision to decline the significant pay increase proposed under the new compensation structure for the political directorate. Holness made a strong statement that he has instructed the Transformation Implementation Unit (TIU) to remove his compensation from the revised salary scale.
He emphasized that his own pay will remain the same, without any retroactive changes. This choice was driven by his desire to stand in solidarity with Jamaican citizens who are currently grappling with economic difficulties.
Under the revised plan, the prime minister’s salary was set to rise from $9.1 million in 2021 to $28.6 million by April 1, 2024. By April 1, 2023, the head of government would have received an annual salary of $25.3 million, which would have further increased to over $28 million the following year.
The public has voiced strong discontentment regarding the new salary levels for elected officials across the Central and Local Government sectors. This discontentment surfaced following an announcement by Finance and Public Service Minister, Dr. Nigel Clarke, last week.
However, during the press briefing, Holness clarified that Cabinet Ministers, other parliamentarians, and parish councillors would still receive the new salaries as outlined by Clarke.
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