Matthew Samuda suggested Saturday that the People’s National Party (PNP), if it forms the next government, would not roll back the parliamentary salaries given to members of the island’s political directorate under the public sector compensation wage review.

The assertion was made at Saturday night’s National Political Debates, where a social media user juxtaposed the matter of the controversial 300 per cent increase given to the political directorate in 2023 against the current zero per cent salary increase currently being offered in year one of a four-year wage agreement to public sector workers.

The government is offering a 2.5 per cent salary increase in year two, three and four of the wage agreement, which has been rejected by some groups, including the Jamaica Teacher’s Association (JTA).

“If selected to form the next government, how do you plan making civil servants salaries equally as attractive?” asked journalist Amoy Harriot on behalf of the social media user.

While Kamina Johnson Smith provided the main response for the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to the question, it was Samuda’s take on the question that could arguably grab the political enthusiasts.

“So less we forget, when salaries for parliamentarians were announced, the Opposition spokesperson on finance got up and said he had no objection; only to be cut off at the knees by the leader of the Opposition [Mark Golding] the next day,” Samuda recounted.

“It’s not the first time the leader of the Opposition has cut off one of his spokespersons at the knees. He has cut off Senator [Damion] Crawford at the knees when he proposed an additional two hours for schools and an additional tax to fund education. This is a common pattern with them, but the Opposition will not roll back parliamentary salaries because they support it and they sat on the commission to determine them,” Samuda suggested.

When given the opportunity to rebutt the comments made by his opponent, Crawford said: “I will answer Mr Samuda on the [political] platform, but today I am focusing on the people.”

Crawford, the PNP’s candidate for St Catherine North Western, did not indicate whether his political party will be rolling back the salary increases given to the political directorate, including parliamentarians aligned to the Opposition, should it form the next government after the national polls.

Earlier, the JLP’s Johnson Smith, in responding directly on how to make public sector workers’ salaries as equally as attractive to that of parliamentarians, reminded that the governing party has been responsible for “the largest increase to public sector wages in the history of independent Jamaica”.

She continued: “Do we want to be able to pay more? Absolutely, and we are committed to ensuring that we work with stakeholders to ensure fiscal stability, to ensure the health of the economy so all workers can be paid fairly without destabilising the economy.”

Moreover, the foreign affairs and foreign trade minister said the Andrew Holness-led administration is committed to further engaging on the matter, including with the Partnership for Prosperity.

“We understand the concerns of cost of living, which concern each and every family, and we are committed to always doing our best within the affordability of our economy to do the best by our public servants,” she concluded.

Meanwhile, Crawford suggested that the wage increase granted to Cabinet ministers was ranked as the highest in the Caribbean.

“Our teachers are ranked sixth or seventh in the Caribbean [relative to salaries]. Under the People’s National Party, when we did our restructuring, the teachers were placed at 80 per cent of market. Under the JLP when they did their restructuring, the teachers are now… at 50 per cent of market,” Crawford alleged.

“Additionally, the teachers were bamboozled into believing that their allowances would have been considered, but the JLP removed all the teachers allowances and gave them a simple raise in some cases of 12 per cent, while they took 300 per cent. What is evident from how it was handled is the JLP is not a party of equity, they didn’t treat all persons in the same, and as their former minister of finance suggested that, if it was to keep the best [politicians], they would have to raise their salaries. No wonder we’re seeing so many teachers leaving our classrooms because of the inefficient treatment from the Jamaica Labour Party,” the PNP politician claimed.

He argued, further, that under a PNP government, teachers, nurses and other public sector workers will know that they have “a listening ear” and “a reasonable negotiator”.

In a parting shot at the JLP team, Crawford asserted that, “Zero per cent raise suggest that the teachers are worth nothing.”

Added Crawford on that point: “The police are doing a wonderful job, the teachers are doing an excellent job, the nurses are doing a wonderful job, and we will ensure equity in treatment as we treat ourselves.”