The following are excerpts of a submission to the Parliamentary Salaries Review Committee, which was recently made by George Fyffe, general secretary of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) and assistant general secretary of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU).
RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARLIAMENTARIANS
In its report the committee chaired by Leslie Ashenheim stated "we found the problem of determining the amount of salary which should be paid to Ministers and other office holders, to be one of considerable difficulty. The office of Prime Minister is by any standard, one which transcends in difficulty, complexity and responsibility that of the highest paid executives in the private sector, and the other offices under consideration are in varying degrees no less arduous and demanding of time and talent than senior and highly rewarded positions in industry and commerce."
It is clear that payment to Parliamentarians as stated in a 1996 report of a review body set up to determining British Parliamentary pay levels, should "reflect the levels of responsibilities not work loads and those who chose to make Parliament a full time career should be adequately rewarded to reflect their responsibilities."
In 1996, a Company Hay Management Consultants Ltd was asked to examine how British salaries had moved in relation to others elsewhere. In its report to the British Parliament it stated that there were very few jobs in the British private sector, which might be considered comparable to that of a Government Minister particularly at the level of Minister of state or above. It could identify no direct comparator to the Prime Minister.
It is important that we recognise and accept that payment to parliamentarians must be related to the complexities, demands and accountabilities of their positions.
In Western Australia in 1990 a Human Resources and Organi-sation Consultancy Company, 'Noble Lowndes Cullen Dell', was engaged to examine the work value of Australian Parliamentarians and recommend levels of remuneration and establish criteria for salary reviews.
I find some of the features they highlighted very applicable to the responsibilities of the Jamaican Parliamentarian.
The time commitment required
To become a member of the Jamaican Parliament is to mortgage your life to your constituency. This is more pronounced in rural constituencies. You become counsellor, advisor, doctor, parson, lawyer and god knows what else. You are expected at every wedding, funeral, and christening. The dislocation to your family life is enormous. In short the demands on the time of a Parliamentarian in Jamaica is inordinate.
Failure in this area is often highlighted in the lack of security a Member of Parliament enjoys.
Cognitive knowledge
The Member of Parliament must have intimate knowledge of
the workings of the communities. In addition they must have a thorough or at least a sound working knowledge of social welfare, childcare, health, housing, industrial relations, employment, education and training. He/she must have knowledge of how to participate effectively in protecting the interests of their communities. They must be well read locally regionally and internationally in order to converse at all levels. They must possess remarkable interpersonal skills to survive.
Education (judgement)
This is necessary in order for the Member of Parliament to deal with a range of activities. He/she must be versatile enough to operate in complex and specialised environments. Often there arise conflicts of party policies, public policies and constituency objectives. This demands considerable breadth of vision and maturity in judgement.
Accountability is unique
The Member of Parliament must serve and represent his/her constituency while at the same time being aware of the bureaucracy and the political environment.
There is no doubt in my mind that the responsibilities of a Parliamentarian merit meaningful consideration in addressing remuneration.
PERFORMANCE / PRODUCTIVITY
There are many who have proposed that Parliamentary salaries should be linked to performance.
I submit that this is a most difficult proposition. Every one in industry knows that payment linked to performance demands a number of prerequisites.
A job description
How do you go about creating a job description for members of Parliament when the needs and objectives of each constituency are not only different but also sometimes totally divergent?
Determination of performance requirements
How do you determine what skills, outputs, and accomplishments will be measured? Any appraisal of performance must be done according to predetermined work requirements. Who will examine each constituency, each community in a constituency and identify specific requirements?
In determining performance, who shall be the appraiser?
In our tribalised political system where benefaction often is coloured in red or green, it certainly could not be the constituents! Constituents reaction to dissatisfaction rather than satisfaction. It is so easy for a Minister to provide for his constituents to the neglect of others. It is so easy for a Government to deny its political opposition benefits thereby engendering wrath from its supporters.
This is indeed a proposition, which requires great analysis.
PARLIAMENTARY SALARIES AND COST OF LIVING
There is a strong lobby for linking increases granted to Parliamentarians to the rate of increases in prices as set out in the cost price index produced yearly by the Statistical Institute.
This is fuelled by a strong view that the criteria for setting Parliamentary increases should be the same as for us all. The ability to pay, the state of the economy and the expectations of sacrifice politicians have of others.
We must be mindful however that the "level of reward applying to Parliamentarians as indeed to other office holders should be sufficient to attract and retain talented members."
SALARY VS ALLOWANCES
Whilst the public view is cantered on basic salaries to Parliamentarians, I submit that a meaningful examination should be made of the allowances paid. Certainly adequate allowances can reduce the emphasis on salaries or at least make them tolerable. I wish to throw out for further consideration the following:
Office allowances
Each Member of Parliament must of necessity establish a constituency office. An allowance should be paid which allows for adequate staffing, safe working conditions.
Information technology equipment
A recommendation has been made to the British House of Parliament that Members of Parliament should be supplied with standardised equipment and software with appropriate communication links for their constituency offices. I suggest that we do the same.
Exceptional expenses
This recommendation has also been made to the British House of Commons. Where Members of Parliament incur exceptional expenses in constituencies with special needs, these expenses should be reimbursed. E.g. in Jamaica there are constituencies with special security and safety needs.
Disabled Members
In Britain, the Clerks of Parliaments have powers to reimburse members with disabilities for any additional expenses they might incur in carrying out their duties. I suggest we adopt this.
I am sure I have not made a very complex issue any simpler.
During my 40 years with the trade union movement, my organisation has produced Prime Ministers, Ministers of Government, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, and Senators.
I have had the opportunity at close hand to observe the devotion, dedication and interest displayed in their constituencies and by extension, Jamaica. I have witnessed their frustrations when they failed to secure the basic needs of their constituencies despite effective representations. I have seen political victimisation at its worst.
On the other hand I have witnessed their pride and elation at the successes they have achieved.
I have seen the unfair demands made on their lives. Recently with the flooding of houses and other areas, the first cry of the people was where is my MP.
I wholeheartedly support the establishment of a decent salary for members of Parliament with regular periodic reviews. I do support however that all this should be done within the context of our ability to pay. I cannot ignore the fact that as a member of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy the concept of competitiveness should not only apply to banana and sugar workers and other employees in the export sector but to all of us.
