The colossal increase in compensation for politicians announced in Parliament on Wednesday by Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke is now on everyone’s lips.

Looking at what these public servants were earning, it is only reasonable for them to be given a meaningful increase, but the public outrage is about the percentage amount that they will get. Based on the figures disclosed, most politicians are looking to receive between 200 and 300 per cent increase in their compensation. Imagine the prime minister’s current $9-million salary moving to $28.5 million, or better yet, the speaker of the House’s almost $7 million moving to almost $23 million.

Certainly, there can be no pussyfooting from our leaders, especially with a new parliamentary building in the pipeline.

Earlier this year when the teachers complained about the meagre increase, many non-teachers chastised us for being greedy and said that the system needed to consider performance-based salaries. Isn’t it now ironic and hypocritical that politicians are getting such a hefty increase. Will job descriptions now be created for them? Will they now be assessed periodically to determine how well they are performing?

The position taken by the politicians is rather insulting. But who is shocked? Information Minister Robert Morgan said that he was surprised at the new compensation package. It leaves us to wonder who sat down and came up with these figures. It seems, however, that Dr Clarke has pulled a ‘Portia’ on us: “We have found some money.” Suddenly, the economy is no longer fragile, that is, once their pockets are being fattened. After all, Opposition spokesperson on finance Julian Robinson reacted to the grand announcement by saying, “Madam Speaker, the Opposition takes no issue with what the minister has announced.”

In a follow-up press release, the People’s National Party (PNP) sought to express concern about the massive raise, as if they really care about the poor. But we know that they would do anything to regain State power. It is a little astonishing, though, that they are not opposing for once.

Call us emotional, but most civil servants feel as though they have been cheated. The level of work and sacrifice they put in daily is often ignored. It is as though money is too good for them. Only an elite few benefit from the lion’s share. Certainly, we must have distinct positions and rankings, which come with different salary packages, but I have lamented before that the gap is often too wide between ranks. Often, when those at the bottom finally get to the top, they seem to forget where they once were.

The Jamaica Teachers’ Association and other unions are not much help either. For teachers, especially, it is rather appalling that we are so passive when it comes on to representing our concerns. Or is it that many have become weary of the living and working conditions and are just quietly arranging themselves to depart for greener pastures in the late summer?

At a time when we should be doing our best as a country to retain the great teachers that we have, we, instead, are doing everything to frustrate them into leaving. Are we going to wait on another task force on education in the next 20 years before we decide to compensate teachers well?

Oneil Madden is interim chair/head of Department of Humanities and lecturer in language(s) and linguistics at Northern Caribbean University. He is also a PhD candidate in applied linguistics at Clermont Auvergne University, France. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or maddenoniel@yahoo.com.