Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke on Tuesday sought to provide context in defence of the revised salary bands for legislators and other members of the political directorate, saying that annual adjustments have been made across the entire administrative leadership level of the public sector in order to attract and retain high-calibre leadership.
He also announced that telephone and housing allowances previously enjoyed by members of the political directorate will be discontinued.
“After years of macroeconomic stability, the path ahead will require that we are able to attract new blood into the leadership levels of the public sector to infuse new ways of thinking, new ideas for the organisation’s own growth and development,” he said.
“Persons need to be encouraged in making career moves into public leadership without putting their economic security at total risk,” Dr Clarke added.
The adjustments will see the prime minister’s salary move from the current $9.169 million as at 2021, to $22.332 million with effect April 1, 2022, then to $25.267 effective April 2023.
The deputy prime minister’s pay will move from the current $8.031 million as at April 2021, to $20.099 million effective April 2022, and $22.7 million with effect from April 2023, then increase to $25.729 million effective 2024.
Meanwhile, the finance minister’s salary is being bumped up from the current $7.440 million as at April 2021, to $19.206 million effective April 2022, then to $21.7 million effective April 2023, after which it will increase to $24.585 million effective April 2024.
The Opposition leader’s existing salary of $8.031 million will increase to $20.099 million effective April 2022, moving to $22.740 million effective April 2023, after which it will increase to $25.729 million effective April 2024.
Cabinet ministers will continue to earn $52.00 more than the maximum salary of permanent secretaries, moving from $6.893 million in 2021, to $17.866 million effective April 2022, and $20.214 million effective April 2023, then move to $22.87 million effective April 2024.
Permanent secretaries (level 15) salaries will go from $17.8 million, effective April 2022 to $20.214 million effective April 2023, then move to $22.870 million effective April 2024.
