The Premier says a proposal to increase MP salaries is deeply flawed – the Opposition Leader wants to veto the whole idea.
The OBA does not support any pay rise for Government MPs says Jarion Richardson, in response to the report of the Salaries Review Board that was tabled in the House on Friday.
Premier David Burt and the PLP have also pushed back on the board’s recommendations.
They propose salary increases of almost 19% for all MPs and Senators.
This would reflect the cost of living increase since 2015, the board says, which is when the economy started to improve following the recession.
As a reflection of the wight of the roles, the board also proposes a further 18.8% hike for the Premier’s salary, and the Speaker of the House would get the same as a Minister.
Premier David Burt last night said he does not support the recommended increase for the Premier, and he says any cost of living adjustment should be across the board for all officers and members.
He said he finds some aspects of the report deeply flawed, and the proposals disproportionately favour the Premier and the Speaker.
A PLP spokesperson today said, “The document tabled in Parliament was produced by an independent committee and neither the Government, nor Parliament are under any obligation to enact these proposals, many of which we oppose.”
“We will consult with our caucus and our constituents taking the necessary time to ensure that any decisions we make reflect both careful consideration and the values we stand for…”
“Many Bermudians are facing significant challenges due to the high cost of living, and we hear your frustrations.”
OBA Leader Jarion Richardson left no room for doubt, and said his party categorically does not support any pay rise for MPs.
The Salaries Review Board justified their proposal by citing that MPs have not had a pay rise since 2009, took a 10% pay cut in 2011, and the economy has shown improvement since 2015, with inflation since then having risen 18.8%.
According to Jarion Richardson, however, you don’t get a pay rise when everything is going wrong for everybody else. “That’s not how leadership works”, he said.
“Because there’s 800 plus homeless people in Bermuda. Because people are getting treated in the hospitals in the corridors and sleeping in the corridors. Because our housing crisis. Because we have Bermudians fleeing the island for economic reasons. I mean, there’s a myriad of things going wrong with Bermuda right now…”
When asked if there should be performance indicators for MPs, Mr Richardson said, “there’s already a performance indicator. It’s called the general election.”
