Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has disclosed that a member of the parliamentary caucus of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), called him to indicate that all Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) were in favour of the massive salary increase granted to parliamentarians in 2023, despite their public posturing.

Holness was making his contribution to the 2026/27 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

“A member of the Opposition benches, obviously concerned that the public posture of the PNP could force the Government to reverse the pay increase, called to say that I should ignore the statement of the PNP general secretary and the leader of the Opposition as all their MPs agreed with the increase and could not survive without it,” Holness divulged.

The prime minister raised the matter of the controversial salary increase after he was accused by Opposition Leader Mark Golding on Tuesday of being dishonest with his decision to take his “massive” salary increase, having turned it down in 2023 in the face of mounting criticism.

READ: Budget Debate: Golding raps Holness for taking ‘big salary increase’, failure to introduce impeachment legislation

Holness reminded of the public posturing of the PNP at the time, stating that: “The leader of the Opposition only talks, many times nonsense, and takes home $27 million. In the last term, the leader of the Opposition cost taxpayers more than the prime minister. The Opposition spokesman on finance stood in this House and said the Opposition has no problem with the pay increase. A few days later, the PNP general secretary and the leader of the Opposition put out a release, saying they, ‘strongly object to the salary increase for Cabinet ministers and Members of Parliament”.

“Yet, none of them, with their self-righteous objection, declined to take their salary increase. They were the first ones calling Parliament to find out the amount of their retroactive pay,” Holness added.

Stating that the people of Jamaica had settled the discussion by giving Holness and the Jamaica Labour Party a third consecutive term in office last September, the prime minister appeared to mock Golding.

He offered him a bag, insisting that it was “a good gesture”, but Golding did not take the bait. The prime minister then presented a cap with the words “anti-bad mind” and “clean heart” written on it to much laughter inside the Parliament.

— Lynford Simpson

Member of Parliament Nesta Morgan holds the “good gesture” hat which Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness brought for Opposition Leader Mark Golding on Thursday. Holness was making his contribution to the 2026/27 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)