Was The EC$6000 Additional Salary For PDM Member Meant To Secure His Loyalty From Defecting?

There existed laws on the books on Montserrat, that restricted government ministers from receiving additional government salaries and contracts [separate and apart from their regular salaries as Ministers and Members of the Legislative Assembly]. These laws were in place as a check against corruption, in that they limit governments, at least overtly, from using their positions as parliamentarians to enrich themselves from the public purse.

Recently, however, these laws were displaced to appease the Doctor who felt slighted that she was denied/robbed the position of Minister of Health-Sports-etc and the associated salary and influence. Given the Doctor's social-capital and human-resource gaps in the local health system, the removal of these checks by Parliament was met with no opposition by either politicians, press, or the people. This was a mistake.

Laws by their nature, even if passed for the benefit or disadvantage of one specific person or group, will never be limited to said group or person. By removing those checks for the benefit of the Doctor, I felt at the time that Pandora's box has been opened for any and all Legislators in the present and future to utilise the privileges of their positions as Legislators to indulge in unofficial salary increases and government contracts.

The story is now breaking from yesterday's Assembly sitting of a parliamentarian who is now being paid an additional EC$6000 per month by the government for a 'new' job for which the responsibilities are already a subset of his portfolio. If this is the case, this is a job that was never advertised to the general public; this is a salary that could provide employment for at least two full time individuals; this is a job that could have been easily accomplished by someone who was promoted [with a raise] within the department; this is a job that was carried out effectively by previous parliamentarians without the need for a separate EC$6000 salary - instead this is an addition to the salary of an already highly paid Legislator - in a ministry that is already short of funds.

In addition, another cause for concern has been the concerted effort by the government to hide the appointment and payment of these monies to the said parliamentarian from the people [and parliament], something suggestive of guilt and fear of repercussions.

These monies being paid to said Parliamentarian appear to be a means to buy the political loyalty of the gentleman after he threw a very public tantrum and resigned from his post/title as he felt his services were not being appreciated [I interpreted that as "I want more money"]. Is there any doubt that a large if not deciding factor of his outrage was that "if the other Legislator can get additional money, then, why can't I?".

Pandora's' box.

This is only going to further cascade from here. More local politicians will also feel entitled to their share and larger sums of money will start being thrown around. The horse has bolted the stable; but it will have to be reigned in.