EDITOR, The Tribune.
At a time when people are getting fired left, right and centre and are being laid off and working one and two days per week, the government has seen fit to prepare to raise their own salaries. How greedy, How insensitive.
Many of these MPs have perks and other income, so what could be the reasonable explanation for a pay raise, when the country is “strapped for cash”?
I am stunned that there are proposals for a new House of Assembly and a new Prime Minister’s Mansion, things that we simply can’t afford at this time and can do with out, for now.
Where are our priorities? Clinics on every island should be a priority, teachers for the core subjects should be priority, affordable housing should be another priority and “real mortgage relief” for the thousands of people who will soon be on the street is a definite priority.
I will say this though, any member of parliament who has agreed that their salaries to be raised, be they PLP or FNM, does not have the Bahamian people’s interest at heart, they are only interested in their own pockets. “They don’t really care about us.”
On another note, so that democracy be seen, “both parties” should soon announce when their respective conventions will be held.
Any attempt to use stalling tactics to prevent the people from exercising their rights to elect new officers “will certainly backfire”.
Conventions are a constitutional right, not at the wishes of any member of any party. Stop playing games!
Just a reminder, many right thinking Bahamians are not following blindly anymore. Our conscience is more important than anything else. The games are over, Country first!
God has taken away the tumor, not my senses, therefore I continue to trust and fear Jesus Christ only.
IVOINE W. INGRAHAM
Nassau,
May 16, 2014.
Comments
proudloudandfnm 9 years, 11 months ago
My God this country needs an education. $28,000.00 a year is MINIMUM wage. I do not want my government led by folks making MINIMUM wage. Of course raise MP's salaries, raise it to something reasonable. $75 grand a year at the very least. Give us realistic term limits and RAISE THE SALARIES.
Of course constituency offices need a higher allowance. I could not keep an office open on $1500.00 a month, that is not realistic. I want my MP's office open year round. I want my MP's office FULLY STAFFED with competent people. I want to call, fax and email my MP on issues that I find significant, like VAT. Give the people direct, year round, readily available access to their MP's.
As for the rest of it, give us more details, in laymen's terms so we can fully understand them.
I really hate this stupid Westminster system....
As for timing. WHEN WILL IT BE THE RIGHT TIME?!?!?
Publius 9 years, 11 months ago
Minimum wage is $7,800 per year or $150 per week. Is your educated calculator broken? $28,000 per year is about $540 per week. Do you know how many Bahamians would kill for that salary, including thousands of public officers who have been the service with a degree for 20 years and not even making $30,000. Plus, Members of Parliament have other jobs. It is no small wonder that the only people who do not see the problem with the timing of asking for these increases, are the MPs themselves. And you said raise it to 75K? Find me a workplace in this country where you get your salary increased by over $40,000 to do the exact same job prior to the raise. I'll wait. They all know what their salaries will be when they run for office. If they truly do not want to deal with that salary then they ought not run, perhaps?
proudloudandfnm 9 years, 11 months ago
I could not live off of $28 grand a year. I don't know anyone that can live a reasonably comfortable life for that money. And that's what we WANT to pay the folks that set our government's laws? Would you hire someone to manage your company for that amount? Would you want anyone that says yes to that measly sum running your company? Of course you wouldn't.You get what you pay for man. No wonder this country is so smothered in stupid. No wonder we paying $40,000 for a lime tree... 39 million for a port in the middle of nowhere that no one needs....
It's just stupid man...
Questionmark 9 years, 11 months ago
I understand what your getting at, your obviously among the middle-classed in this country. If MP's are getting pay raises for the second consecutive time or second attempted time why not raise the minimum wage also? How can you start from the top, there is no trickle down effect. You say they country is ran the way it is because of low salary? HELL NO, there is HIGH CROOKEDNESS in HIGH places. Instead of finding ways to develop the country so that it can earn more money and have means to do these things, they are raping the treasury and bringing this place to its KNEES. 2 billion in 2 years? WHO THE HECK GONNA PAY THAT OFF…SURELY NOT MY KIDS, there is a great chance they won't be bahamian to earn that right. Bottom line, this government hasn't EARNED a pay rise, nothing but crap has been done. Money has been spent with little to no productivity to show for it. They are not working at a 28,000 annual salary, so you think with 75 the attitudes of greedy wealthy men will change? You need a reality check, while people are left to starve and prostitute themselves in the never ending hustle to stay alive, these men live very well, off the same backs and have yet to prove they believed in anything other than the bahamian dollar in their own bank accounts.
MY HUMBLE OPINION!
sheeprunner12 9 years, 11 months ago
Get a life..................... do you know how many individuals and I daresay households must survive off less than $28,000 per year in this country???????????? Check the latest government Poverty Report
A government General Service Worker (they hired 4,000 this past year) gets paid $10,000 per year. Most of those are women who head households with seeral children as well.
sheeprunner12 9 years, 11 months ago
Lets look at something else................... most of these MPs are either self employed as doctors, lawyers, accountants, dentists, or entrepreneurs. The vast majority of them make far more money than the average Bahamian. let alone civil servants. For them, $28,000 is just like an allowance to begin with. ......................... how can it be when they have a real day job.
On top of that, most MPs in the government are paid for every other position they hold e.g. Cabinet, Executive Chairman, Speaker, Parliamentary Secretary, Ambassador etc. If you do that in the Civil Service it is called "moonlighting" or "double dipping" ....................
But not to to these fellas. Different strokes for different folks. THAT IS WHY MOST BAHAMIANS ARE UPSET.
ProfessorTinker 9 years, 11 months ago
This is one of the main reason why many of these MP's are crooks because who can survive with such low pay. Most of these guys are lawyers and if they don't have enough sense to know that the pay is unrealistic then something is wrong with them. But wait a minute they don't care because they all want the big pay out. That's why this has not been an issue. So I can't understand why Bahamians waste there time and go to a poles to vote these MP's in who don't do anything for them or there constituency. HOW DOES THIS WORK????????
sheeprunner12 9 years, 11 months ago
Its called party politics for a reason............ party first, then political position, then public service, then lastly............. constituents
BayStreet23 9 years, 11 months ago
In the April 19, 2012 article in the Guardian and Tribune relating to the financial disclosure of candidates, 56 of the candidates were millionaires. How many of the sitting MPs are among the Millionaire's MP Club?
Also, how many of the current MPs currently adhere to the annual disclosure act that is law? Let's have them comply with the current disclosure law and then we can discuss salary increases.
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