“Pay Increase was never About You!”; Premier Housing bills soar to near Half a Million Dollars says Astwood

Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, December 15, 2023 – “It’s too much. It’s too much what we’re paying for the Office of the Premier.”

The new salaries for the Members of the House of Assembly have been revealed courtesy of Edwin Astwood, Leader of the Opposition, as he accuses the government of doing the Pay and Grade review for the ‘wrong reasons’.

“I want to tell the members of the public, this increase was never about you! Sorry.  Let’s see who got the biggest benefit,” he said, before listing out the upgraded salaries during a House of Assembly sitting on December 13.

The Leader of the Opposition confirmed figures that had been floating around on social media in the week following the reveal of salary increases for civil servants. The figures he provided were as follows:

• Premier Pre increase – Base Salary – $146,600; Allowance $24,000
• Premier Post Increase – Base Salary – $195,000; Allowance $24,000; Housing $219,000  + Housing Maintenance – $206,700
• Deputy Premier Pre increase – Base Salary – $131,000;  Allowance – $ 60,000
• Deputy Premier Post Increase – Base Salary – $175,000 ; Allowance – $60,000
• Minister Pre increase –   Base Salary – $117, 917; Allowance – $58,200
• Minister Post Increase – Base Salary – $157, 950; Allowance – $58,200
• Leader of the Opposition Pre increase –   Base Salary – $78,000; Allowance – $18,000
• Leader of the Opposition Post Increase – Base Salary – $104, 000   Allowance -$18,000
• Members Pre increase – Base Salary – $72,800   Allowance – $10,200
• Members Post Increase – Base Salary – $97,500    Allowance – $10,200

“We are happy about the civil servants getting their raise – but this plays into the narrative that politicians are just here for themselves, and I don’t want to be a part of that,” he said.

“I am ashamed, and if you all need to take away my money, take it away, you can’t miss what you ain’t had!” the Opposition Leader screamed.

Chatter could be heard from the Members of the Government across the room, who urged him to calm down and drink water but did not interrupt. Notably, politicians do not give themselves increases, rather the increases are approved by the Integrity Commission.

To this, Astwood countered that the Integrity Commission had received the recommended figures from the consultants who conducted the review.

“The Government, they are giving the people the crumbs and taking the whole table and pushing it into their jeeps and riding away with it! That is not right!” he said.

Jamell Robinson, Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, speaking up after Astwood had ended his speech, described the tirade as almost cheap politics.  He referenced the fact that Alvin Garland, Opposition Appointed Member, had called for an increase for the Opposition Leader the week earlier.

Robinson maintained that the PNP government was the first one brave enough to give across-the-board raises to the public service in over a decade.

“I have to let the public know, I ain’t no hater. I’ve been a minister but some things are a little too much. Let’s take care of the people at the bottom first. [Us] at the top? yes we should be getting something- give us $10,000– something that we can manage, we already make a lot of money.”  Astwood advised during his speech.

The Opposition Leader maintained that the pay increases had gone overboard in the House of Assembly, especially in Cabinet.