President of the United Workers Party (UWP), Lennox Linton is in contention with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s remarks that Dominicans should not make an issue over the increase of salaries for the members of parliament, including the prime minister and members of the executive.
The matter of increase in salary for parliamentarians has been a topic of much debate on social media with some people questioning whether the country can afford the increase or whether parliamentarians deserve it in the first place. Skerrit was questioned about the matter at a press conference last week.
“I would caution us against making an issue of an increase in salary of parliamentarians or the prime minister or ministers when others in the public service would have received an increase and we are all part of the public service,” he responded.
“I may be the chief servant but at least we are all part of the public service, so to say that the parliament and the cabinet should not get an increase but others is fine, I don’t think the argument is consistent.”
But according to Linton, with the new increase the prime minister is getting $4,000 more and ministers of government $2,300, while the public servants who receive less than $2,000 monthly salary get nothing.
“And mister Skerrit is happy with that … he tells you that this is not something you should be making an issue about,” Linton stated on local radio station Q95.
“You should not be making an issue of the prime minister getting more salary even though the concern of the prime minister getting more salary in this situation has to do with the struggle for survival in Dominica and the fact that those who are struggling more to survive than the prime minister receive absolutely nothing. The prime minister is already the beneficiary of living with his wife and family in a home that the state already pays over $100,000 a month for. Between rent and operating expenses, utility bills and transportation costs and insurance and drivers etc, etc, the bill to the people of Dominica, the charge to the public purse is over $100,000 a month and that doesn’t touch Mr Skerrit’s salary.”
In justifying the increase, Skerrit pointed to a 2007 parliament approval which indicated that salaries for members of parliament should be fixed against that of public officers.
“So if public servants were to get an increase in salaries then the parliament would get an increase in their salaries,” he explained at last week’s press conference. “And reason for this was that before 2007, you had a situation where there were a signicant number of public officers whose salaries were higher than that of the prime minister, higher than all the ministers, higher than that of parliamentarians… To avoid going back to that situation, we said look, whatever increase public servants would receive then there will be a formula that we use to allow for the change in the salaries of parliamentarians and of course the executive, the cabinet.”
Recently, the government of Dominica engaged in a reclassification exercise of the public service which included a salary increase for over 3,000 public officers, and according to the prime minister, parliamentarians, including the prime minister and cabinet members also got an increase “in keeping with the 2007 approval of the parliament, that was extended as well to the parliament…”
Linton stated that the $4,000 increase for the prime minister is twice the salary of some public servants who received nothing.
“Mr. Skerrit on his salary has no rent to pay, he has no vehicle loan to pay,” he said.
“And all the people, the people who are struggling on less than $2,000 a month to pay rent, to have a little car, to put groceries on their tables, to send their children to school and so on, Mr Skerrit gives them nothing but he takes $4,000 for himself. Four thousand is more than two times the highest level of pay for those who got nothing at all.”
Saving as much as possible is really important for future needs. And the ideas you shared can help a lot.
You know; whereas I understand Lennox concern for the underpaid civil servants, and public servants in general; I feel absolutely no empathy for them; and that is because the majority of them are aiding and abating Roosevelt in his corruption!
In that when the time comes to vote that corrupted thi.. out of office, the night before they go to bed they grumble, with the gnashing of their tooth in anger, nevertheless, by day break they run into the poling booth and vote for their oppressor the same Roosevelt Skerrit!
The blood sucker Roosevelt, wants to be paid more than ten thousand dollars per month salary; in addition to the the more than the hundred thousand per month probably he receive perhaps illegal: he is trying to equal the pay of other prime ministers in the Caribbean who’s economy are vibrant, and can afford such high salaries.
Meanwhile, the minimum wage in Dominica is approximately four ($4.00) per hour, whereas in Antigua minimum wage tops $15.00 per hour!
Why should yours truly the illustrious PM be getting a pay raise he is already a multi-millionaire from the sales of passports and the money going into his personal bank account from such sales. He is not putting the passport sales money into the Dominican treasury he is putting it into his bank account.
Where is the voice of the parliamentary opposition leader? Has cat got her tongue? This lady is absolutely USELESS. There should be a petition by her constituents to recall her.
Cigarette ash is completely useless. As a politician, NOT as a human being, Means Paul-Victor is an absolute FAILURE, a colossal failure. She is as useless as cigarette ash.
That is my unapologetic opinion and I’m not taking it back.
Original Labour party’s slogan was “All shall eat”
This hijacked Labour party’s is “Dem what has gets. Doe complain.”
Thank you Mr. Linton for your never ending fight to ensure that those in power remain honest. Though not an elected member of parliament, you continue to be the unofficial watchdog on our behalf. This begs the question; ” WHERE IS THE OFFICIAL PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION?
They seems to have gone moomoo or; Shpuld we assume Skerro ate their tongue? Time for change of both the opposition and government.
when will we Dominicans rise up against all these injustices that is going on in our land. This don’t care attitude of ours will be our demise….
Oh Linton, stop being a cry, cry baby and find yourself a real job so you can earn a big fat salary as well. Stop envying other people’s salary and find yourself a real job so you can enjoy a big fat salary as well. Sorry you were a High School dropout. Next time do not quit school or you will remain a fool as you are now.
“Oh Linton, stop being a cry, cry baby and find yourself a real job”(ds).
That in the quote is from the thoughts of an idiot!
Speaking about Lennox getting a real job, maybe if Dominica’s economy was not based on the sale of passports, and the destruction of every industry foreign and local which was in Dominica long before Roosevelt was born which he Roosevelt the moron destroyed perhaps Lennox would be working outside of politics!
And what about you idiot ds, you sit in Dominica in your hungry depraved poverty, accepting Roosevelt thie.ery, happy about the amount of money going into his pocket.
You are an old dog, to old to be be employed, too damn old to farm, you are struggling to survive, yet you sit back happy for the man getting richer from the blood of the nation, you are too dumb to realize that Roosevelt is a wicked self centered all for himself and his American born children, and his Dominica-American Green Card divorced wife!
What’s your monthly salary ds?
You that bit of dog feces “ds” if it is one thing I remember learning when I took my very first class in psychology; is that the abused always cleave to their abuser!
You are worst than a slave; in slavery, the salves were programmed to cry when the ones who owns them got sick, or died!
If they refused to cry they were beaten.
But, you are a modern day slave so dumb, no one have to coerce you to support thievery and corruption by this certain thief in Dominica.
There are lots of dumb people like you going to bed hungry, walking bare feet, you scums don’t worry about you conditions but worry about if your massa and his family eat dinner.
You count how many motor vehicles hand houses he has while you walk, and sleep in some shack, when it rain on you you drag your attaman (breakup bed) but no place to avoid getting wet!
How dumb are you people, how dumb are you ds?
Cant you see your love for thievery, and corruption, and the evil involve is destroying Dominica?
What is the matter with this guy Ugly Lenny, what you want a pay rise as well? Man shut your cake hole and go away, you shot yourself in the bum now you complaining about who gets what is not your dam business go find yourself a job.
Watch and see how this will fall on deaf ears. Dominicans have become numb and nonchalant to the nonsense of their Government and the government cares zip about their struggles.
But one day the bottom ah go drop out!
That is wickedness. CBI drying up. he cannot just push his hand and take for himself again. The 3rd mansion in morne daniel still have to finish build. he have bills to pay. And Dominicans have to pay them for him. on top of your big salary you still want another big salary to make it the icing on the cake?
He do right abuse Dominica because all Dominicans do it talk and grumble amongst themselves. scared slaves, thats how we act.
That is wickedness. CBI drying up. he cannot just push his hand and take for himself again. The 3rd mansion in morne daniel still have to finish build. he have bills to pay. And Dominicans have to pay them for him. on top of your big salary you still want another big salary to make it the icing on the cake?
He do right abuse Dominica because all Dominicans do it talk and grubble amongst themselves. scared slaves, thats how we act.
Like it or not, an opposing voice, be it that of an elected representative or a member of the public, is a fundamental requirement of the democratic process.
Thank You Mr. Linton, for filling the present void.
Why didn’t we hear from Linton when the opposition did no work abstained from Parliament and still got paid their full salaries. This mindset we have in this Country that because Skerrit is the Prime Minister he should live as a peasant is anachronistic. So the Prime Minister should ride an ass to work and live in a 2×4 by the Bayside.. Grow up Dominicans
Old timer, if Linton is your voice den, no one will pay attention to you. You are doomed!
Where is the outrage over this secretive, unconscionable, undeserving increase in salaries of those fat cats at the top of the food chain in government? If each minister and senator were to be paid on merit, their salaries would amount to nuts change. These workshy parasites should never be rewarded for their ineptness and indolence.
How much longer will Dominicans allow Roosevelt and his family to live in complete luxury while the vast majority of them languish in ultra poverty? As long as Roosevelt remains in power, life in Dominica will become even more dire.
The outrage is in you, Ibo France. You work hard, you have to eat to live. The PM is working hard all day and needs a pay increase to justify his hard work and his hard work to justify his pay increase. Lazy Ibo, find something better to do with your life. You are just as corrupt as Ugly Lennox is. Go run around the roundabouts and catch you a ram goat and cook it with a pound of rice and have for lunch.