Red Thread plans protest action against Govt – on decision to increase salaries of Ministers

RED Thread, a non-governmental organisation, is in the process of mustering up support to protest Government’s decision to increase the salaries of its Ministers. According to Joy Marcus, a member of the organisation, the protest is set for October 15 in front of the Parliament Buildings. “The protest action is another means of speaking directly to the Government and the rest of Parliament,” Marcus said.

In an opened letter to His Excellency President David Granger and his Administration on Thursday, Red Thread signaled its disappointment. Alluding to statements made by the Minister of State Joseph Harmon, in which he told the press that “we have to pay people well if we want them to perform,” Red Thread questioned why ordinary citizens are being made to accept low wages and salaries.

“People have been working as public servants for years but get very meagre increases in salaries and wages. This government is in office for merely five months but already they are giving themselves HUGE increases,” the letter, which was signed by Marcus, Halima Khan, Wintress White and Joycelyn Bacchus, stated. The organisation said it found Harmon’s explanation for the increase “insulting.” The Minister of State had explained that the Cabinet is made up of a group of quality people who should be paid “well” for the execution of their duties. “We ordinary citizens are responsible for the government being in office. If it wasn’t for us, the presumably ‘no quality’ people, the ‘quality’ people would not have been in the positions they now hold. When they wanted our votes they were not so high and mighty but now the Minister of State has the gall to say he has no apologies to make about them getting that increase.” Red Thread added that Minister Harmon should now do the responsible thing and apologise to the people who would have voted the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition in office. “It would seem that Mr. Harmon and his Cabinet members lack integrity. We find his justification very disturbing. If they can’t survive on over $500,000 per month why do they expect other people to live on $6,500, $17,000 and $50,000 per month? These categories of people don’t get duty free concessions and all the other perks the government officials are entitled to.” The organisation further said that if those in Government were earning more prior to the May 11 elections then they should have simply remained in their old posts. “We never asked them to sacrifice their high-paying jobs at the expense of us, the grassroots, being trampled upon. Yes. This is what we feel, trampled upon. This just goes to show where their true interest is. They are not sufficiently better than the ones they replaced.”

A tabulation, done by Red Thread, showing the “huge” gaps between the salaries of the Ministers and those of ordinary citizens. Government officials Amount per annum Ordinary citizens Amount per annum Difference Prime Minister 20,580,000 Minimum wage Old Age Pension Public Assistance 600,000 204,000 78,000 34.3 times less 100.8 times less 263.8 times less Cabinet Ministers 10,439,124 Minimum wage Same as above 17.3 times less 51.1 times less 133.8 times less

By Svetlana Marshall