The Parliamentary Emoluments Committee has recommended an increase in the President’s pay by $55,000, all Ministers to be on a $200,000 salary which sees a decrease in salary for the Minister for Finance and increase for other Ministers who are on $160,000, an increase in Assistant Ministers’ pay from $90,000 to $120,000, an increase in the Leader of Opposition’s pay from $120,000 to $200,000, an increase in the pay of Members of Parliament from $50,000 to $95,000 and a 2.5 percent reduction in the Prime Minister’s pay.
While presenting the report to parliament which includes recommendations agreed to by committee representatives from both sides of parliament and an independent consultant, Chair of the Committee, Lynda Tabuya says the committee has thoroughly scrutinised the report and aims to ensure fair and reasonable recompense for Members, helping to attract and retain skilled and talented Members of Parliament that effectively represent the interests of the community.
The Members of the Committee for the production of the bipartisan report were Tabuya, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, Aseri Radrodro, Alvick Maharaj and Mosese Bulitavu.
It is recommended that the President’s salary should increase from $130,000 to $185,000 as the Head of State deserves a salary that reflects that post, and the Prime Minister’s salary to be reduced from $328,750 to $320,000 to be at the same level as the salary of the Chief Justice as both positions are head of a branch of government.
The committee recommends that the Speaker’s salary be increased as well from $150,000 to $220,000.
These salaries are proposed compared to what is in the current Act.
As an interim measure, the government had proposed and approved through parliament within the current budget year to reduce the Prime Minister’s salary from $328,750 to $263,000, the Minister for Finance’s salary was reduced from $235,000 to $188,000, Ministers’ salaries were reduced from between $200,000 and $185,000 to $160,000 and $148,000, Assistant Ministers’ salaries from $90,000 to $72,000 and the Leader of Opposition’s salaries from $120,000 to $96,000.
The committee also recommends that the remuneration for the President and Speaker be removed from the Parliamentary Remunerations Act and be moved to the Higher Salaries Commission; that the Act should be amended to provide for classification of Ministers and Assistant Minister as Members of Parliament; amend the Act to require an annual declaration to be filed by Members as to their pecuniary interests, income and assets; and that the Code of Conduct Bill for MPs be brought to Parliament for consideration.
The recommendations also confirm that the current system of overseas travel per diem should still be benchmarked to the United Nations Daily Subsistence Allowance but with lower additional allowances.
The recommendations in the report will be debated in parliament on a later date.
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