THE EDITOR, Sir:
FOR NEARLY two years, the Government could not meet the salary increase demanded by the police.
By the next fiscal year, the police have promised to be back at the bargaining table. Just at that time, the controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the trade unions will be up for review. It is expected that both the police and public servants covered by the MoU will be asked to exercise restraint in their demand for salary reviews. It, therefore, seems inconsiderate and inopportune for the Government to increase parliamentary salaries at that time.
The Patterson administration has been often described as the most corrupt government in the history of this country.
Notwithstanding, our parliamentarians would often zealously defend their integrity even in the face of scandalous cases, including the information technology sector, and in particular NetServ.
One should, therefore, expect our parliamentarians to gravitate toward the recommendation that they make full declaration of all sources of their income and earnings rather than dismissing it outrightly.
The Finance Minister and his committee that reviewed the recommendations of the Parliamentary Salaries Review Committee, set up by the Prime Minister, should bear two things in mind. One is that they are presiding over large sums of public resources. The second is that their rejection of transparency easily leads one to conclude that they have more to hide than they are prepared to declare.
I am, etc.,
L. RUSSELL
Ensom City
Spanish Town
