Church leader calls politicians' pay hike an "unconscionable assault on the country".

 

Bishop Dr. Alvin Bailey

"Shameful and immoral decision"

"Blatant and unconscionable assault on the country's recovering fiscal standing" 

The head of the Holiness Christian Church in Greater Portmore, St. Catherine and president of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance, Bishop Dr. Alvin Bailey has called the government's move to massively increase the salaries of parliamentarians as a “blatant and unconscionable assault on the country's recovering fiscal standing".

The senior clergyman also demanded that Minister of Finance, Dr Nigel Clarke, withdraw the new compensation plan for politicians as he says it is a "shameful and immoral decision." 

"This move shows insensitivity on the part of government, especially as the Minister cited economic constraints as the reason he appealed to members of the public sector to accept the recent compensation packages that were below their expectations," the Bishop said.

In addition, he says it seems as though Minister Clarke had short changed many hard working Jamaicans –during the public sector workers compensation review –in order to guarantee high salaries for his colleagues and political friends, with the approval of the Opposition – the latter of which is now backtracking on its support following public outcry.

He also noted that the acceptance by the parliamentarians of the "unjustifiable, astronomical increases in salaries" at this time has severely compromised their moral authority, especially since they are yet to convince the average Jamaican that they are giving value for money in representing the needs of the citizens, as well as managing the country’s resources with equity and without giving priority to their personal greed.

"This latest round of proposed salary increases, guaranteed over three years, has demonstrated that both government and opposition members are seeking to secure their standard of living in the coming years, which will be way above that of the average Jamaican," the clergyman said.

The Bishop also revealed that he would be promoting a public campaign, with the support of the church, private sector and all well thinking Jamaicans both locally and abroad, to speak out against this injustice to the citizens of Jamaica and said he was prepared to protest until the increase was satisfactorily reviewed.