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Reveal salaries of public sector officials
Friday, November 06, 2009
Dear Editor,
Now that some light has been shed on the the resignation of Mr Derick Latibeaudiere, the former governor of the Bank of Jamaica, the subsequent developments have precipitated very serious questions, one of which is why should the Jamaican people continue to work hard and pay taxes?
So that a select few can live excessively high while the masses struggle to eke out a living? This outrageous development must be the fuel that ignites the fiery calls for increased transparency and accountability where operations of our public officials are concerned.
It is absolutely high time that the emoluments, contractual or otherwise, of all public sector officials from the top of the ladder to the very last rung at the bottom are made known to the Jamaican taxpaying public. The Jamaican people, not government ministers, must be both the judge and jury which decide whether our country and its people are in fact getting value for money. The fact remains that the former governor is certainly not alone where outrageous compensation packages are concerned. He is just one member of a very exclusive club.
It is with this in mind that I beseech the Jamaican public to demand that salaries of all public officials, whether advisers, directors of statutory bodies or board members be made available for public perusal and scrutiny. We must also make an impassioned plea for some officials to be placed on performance-based pay as well as for all public bodies to appear before Parliament, with the media present to justify contracts given and procedures undertaken. This should be done at least three times during any fiscal year.
The Jamaican people must be kept abreast about the use of their money and the delivered service. A more thorough and fulsome approach is needed. All contracts must pass through Cabinet before approval as well as policies governing compensation packages, inclusive of salaries. What now obtains cannot continue - not when so many Jamaicans are suffering severe hardships.
Noel Matherson
St Elizabeth
noelmatherson@gmail.com
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