Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer
THERE ARE varying reactions to Tuesday's motion in Parliament granting former Prime Ministers pensions equal to the salary of an incumbent prime minister.
The scheme, which has been active for 13 years, received full Government endorsement but was spurned by the Opposition in the House of Representatives.
Before Tuesday, it was only lawful for former Prime Ministers to receive pensions two-thirds the salary of an incumbent Prime Minister.
On Wednesday, Jacqueline Coke-Lloyd, president of the Jamaica Employers' Federation (JEF), told The Gleaner that former heads of government should retire in comfort.
"We can't have our former Prime Ministers living at a level of which we would be ashamed," she said.
Mrs. Coke-Lloyd argued that parliamentarians should desist from looking at a comparable dollar figure with foreign heads of government, and instead "look at the principle of acknowledging service of those who have given their time and expertise to lead our country."
Regarding a comparison with what some analysts call the paltry pensions of most civil servants, the JEF executive director said there should not be a comparison with them either.
CONTINUOUS REPRESENTATION
"If there's a problem with civil servants' pensions, we need to deal with it," she said. "But our former Prime Ministers continue to represent the country."
Lambert Brown, vice-president of the University and Allied Workers' Union (UAWU), differed on the subject.
"What has been happening for the last 13 years is another case of the law not being a shackle," he said.
The trade unionist argued that the pensions of workers at the bottom of the public sector pay grade should also be increased.
"Start with the sugar worker who gets $212 per month or the Government's hospital worker, who after 25 years of excellent service, receives $909.50 per week," Mr. Brown said.
He rejected the view that former Prime Ministers continue to represent the country, hence meriting the increased pensions. According to Mr. Brown, there have been cases where former Prime Ministers were hired as consultants and paid in U.S. dollars.
The trade unionist also said former heads of government should have invested wisely.
"If they did that, they shouldn't be begging us to pay them more pension, while there are others who have worked just as hard as they and have received less pension," Mr. Lambert said.
