FRANKLYN: Cut the Cabinet

While civil servants cannot afford a pay cut at this time, an Opposition Senator is of the firm conviction that the Cabinet can definitely afford it.

That’s the position of Senator Caswell Franklyn, the People’s Party for Democracy and Development’s spokesperson on industrial relations and labour law, and the Leader of the Unity Workers’ Union.

In a press conference yesterday, he said any thoughts about cutting the salaries of public service employees to ease Government’s expenditure during this ongoing health pandemic should be abandoned, as those workers had long waited for an increase, and with their mortgages, vehicle loans and other expenses, they do not have any wiggle room.

“... Ask the Government; tell them please [to] stay away from the civil servants’ salaries – they can’t afford a cut because a lot of them are right to the edge,” he said.

Franklyn added, “...When [David] Thompson first came into office he gave a salary increase. Then for the next nine years, almost ten years, there was no salary increase and everything in Barbados went up. The only thing that didn’t go up during that time was salaries.”

The trade unionist said while the current Government did give a five per cent salary increase to the public sector, it was equivalent to half of one per cent per year for the ten years they were without a pay hike.

“So they don’t have any money, they don’t have a cushion; civil servants don’t have a cushion. But I can tell you who has a cushion,” he stated.

In that respect, he pointed to the members of Cabinet. He charged that not only can the Cabinet take a pay cut, but the country could also benefit from a reduction in the number of ministers.

“Using Ms. Mottley’s pre-Prime Minister mouthings, she said that the Freundel Stuart Cabinet was 17 people and that was five more than Barbados needed. Well if under Freundel the country needed 12 ministers, why she think she needs 26? So she can start there!”

Franklyn added, “I am all for that, cut some of them because they are falling over each other to find something to do. There is not enough work, especially when you have two ministers in a
ministry, which by the way is unconstitutional because the Constitution does not allow you to have two ministers in one ministry.”

Referring to Section 73 (1) of the Constitution, Franklyn noted that it states that the Governor General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may appoint members from the two Houses of Parliament as parliamentary secretaries to assist the Minister in carrying out their duties. Franklyn maintained that the Constitution does not allow for the appointment of a minister to assist a minister.

“Right now we have three ministers of Finance, two at Public Works, two at Housing – you see the savings we are talking about? And two at Foreign Affairs. This is contrary to Section 73 of the Constitution. You have one minister and then you can appointment a parliamentary secretary, if you want one. But everybody is a minister, so who is the boss? And mind you, all of them are paid the same salary, whether you are minister responsible for the main ministry or you are in charge of one [area],” he stated.

His remarks came as he noted that contrary to popular belief, the law also does not allow for junior ministers.

“In the public service you are determined junior or senior by your salary, if you get the same salary you are at the same level,” he pointed out.
(JRT)