Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced an increase in the President’s salary in the new year.
He made the announcement during a press conference held this week.
According to him, the issue of the salaries that are issued by the constitution and require parliamentary or cabinet’s approval by way of amendments to the Act, there is a law that deals with the President and the terms and engagement of the President.
Skerrit said his government has done a comprehensive review of the terms of the President and not only the emoluments, but also how the government as a nation treats both serving and former Presidents.
“We have done a comprehensive review of the President’s emoluments and engagement so I look forward in the first quarter of next year that we can take this to Parliament and that will also include an increase in the President’s salary,” he revealed.
The Prime Minister further added that the government is also taking into consideration, particular legal treatment of the President’s spouse while in office.
“Once you become the President’s spouse then you become limited in what you can do, what you can engage in and I think that a burden should not be placed on the President’s family if they decide to serve the nation,” Skerrit said. “That there must be some facilitation. And so we are also taking into consideration the particular legal treatment of the President’s spouse while in office, because there are some things that the President’s office must be extended to…”
He continued, “And as you saw by way of a cabinet decision in respect to the former Prime Ministers we took a cabinet decision to provide $7000 a month to every former Prime Minister. You have a driver, you have a helper at the house, in some cases you have a vehicle.”
Furthermore, he indicated that in respect to the Director of Audit in 2024 there was a Statutory Rule and Order, which may need to be updated because of some of the changes, “so that will be done.
He went on to add that there was a change of salary for the Chief Elections Officer.
“As you know we also took a decision to change the retirement date for the Director of Audit and the Chief Elections Officer, because as it was before the Chief Elections Officer had to demit office at age 55 and that was changed during the process of electoral reform,” Skerrit explained.
The current standard retirement age is sixty (60) or sixty-five (65) years of age.
rescinding this tells me that skerrit preparing for defeat or resignation making sure he does not miss living of tax payers .it could be he hopes or or plans to leave office be cause of devasco he created in Wesley called an airport as least this would be better than the alternative .I know as I was the one living closer to the mess looking at the seams where as a min I caught pitches in right in the area where I later built my h house now demolished and the swamp at bowil the the swamp we called ma low basin
The Prime Minister just announced a minimum wage increase — great news for workers. But let’s be real: this came right before plans to raise the President’s salary and give former Prime Ministers $7,000 a month plus perks.
Smart timing? Absolutely. By putting the wage hike first, the government shields itself from backlash over elite benefits. Classic political play: give the people something popular, then slip in the controversial reforms.
Isn’t that how it works? I think you are a politician. Like the other one that throws million dollar numbers at opponents just because her people are gullible and unattentive?
I don’t know why you guys are upset that her excellency is getting a raise. She deserves it for all her hard work travelling the world to take pictures with world leaders and to give badly read speeches. Most of all she deserves it because she is a woman and a carib – I mean Kalinago woman at that. If you disagree you’re just a woman hating misogynist or an anti-carib – I mean anti-Kalinago bigot.
I approve this message lol
It’s joke you joking! Spell out what the President does on a daily basis. Other than reading a few prepared speeches a few times per year, attending a few local ceremonies, reading the budget speech once annually, and joy riding to a few distant destinations, she just relaxes in the White House, eating to her heart’s delight with the First Gentleman. What a privileged life to live and getting handsomely paid for it. Even getting a HUGE Top-Up!
DNO, this article has done done nothing to enlighten your patrons.
Questions:
1. What is the present salary of the President?
2. Perks and allowances included, what’s her monthly income?
3. With the new arrangement, the government is now paying the First Gentleman for doing absolutely NOTHING?
4.Does the President live rent free, get free electricity, free water, free housekeeping, free landscaping, free security, plus.
Roosevelt ensures that all his operatives are fully satisfied so that they can be eternally loyal to him. That’s the playbook of a typical dictator.
Ebeh look it. Paternalizing, for our own good. All this talk and no mention of the elephant? Transperency. The gd $ amount?
For all we know it may be over $30k …per month.
Any amendment Skerrit gives for former Prime Ministers he’s thinking of himself and no one else. This is his way of giving himself the same trappings that he enjoys no as PM. He cannot see himself without these luxuries. His messed up feeling is let’s give it to all so when I get it I have a defence.
this is really Flintstones country….only in Dominica such sh*t can happen….this highness seems to have lost it….but we Dominican must make him know on election day that… we must bring back his mind… can Dominica ever recover ? so just now the highness will want more from Dominicato pay for his second house? and his $200.000US vehicle….the outside world is really laughing us to be dumb in a can…..
I am sorry to say so, but I read the artikel twice and I still do not understand what I read- as you saw …….as you know …I know nothing !!!
And a heller in the house??? Why can’t people clean their own houses. Teachers work all day and have to come Home and take Care of their Homes, so do doctors and police officers. Hasing a helper is a choice not a priviledge and that should be paid off their own pockets.
ok…so as speculated the raise in minimum wage was a 1 cent for you 1 dollar for the boys type of situation.
Otherwise they might have a protest on their hands…
Note the suggested amendment for the president’s spouse what could that possibly mean…CBI??!!