KINGSTON, Jamaica — Science and Technology Minister Andrew Wheatley, who was yesterday stripped of the energy portfolio, has responded to questions surrounding the $12-million compensation package for the human resource manager at the State-owned oil refinery, Petrojam.

The minister, in a document obtained today by OBSERVER ONLINE, indicated that the hefty compensation was based on the manager’s qualifications.

He said the current HR manager earns $12,612,323.16 million per annum — nearly $3 million more than her predecessor, who earned $9,522,499.80.

According to the document, both compensation packages are inclusive of basic pay, duty allowance, discomfort allowance, ER, savings and travelling.

Wheatley was responding to Opposition Member of Parliament Peter Bunting, who on May 30 tabled the following question:

“Will the minister state the compensation packages for the current Human Resources (HR) Manager and the previous HR Manager and, if there is a difference, justify the differences in terms of their competence and experience in the industrial relations and personnel matters?”

Bunting had requested an answer by June 20.

However, Wheatley in the document said the question asks for justification of the level of remuneration based on the competence and experience in industrial relations but the difference cannot be measured only on those two parameters.

He said he was advised that the justification of the post and the commensurate salary is based on how qualifications, experience and competencies are aligned with the strategic direction of Petrojam.

Wheatley further outlined that Petrojam needed a broad skill set to perform various tasks.

He said having identified the right talent for the HR manager role, which included a specific set of competences and skills, Petrojam management negotiated the compensation package with the incumbent in keeping with the stipulated salary range parameters as established and approved by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.

Petrojam has been at the centre of a hailstorm of corruption allegations over the past few weeks, which resulted in the resignation of three Jamaican board members.