THA Chief Sec: Give public workers pay hike first

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says public workers, like teachers, should get their salary increases first while politicians wait.

He believes it’s more important to address the needs of underpaid public officers who work hard every day.

Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday on the Salary Review Commission’s proposed increases for the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, MPs and other top officials, Augustine said the country’s leaders should be the ones to sacrifice.

“Give the increases to the public officers and let us, the leaders, make the sacrifice. Every day the unions pounding the streets. Our public officers, especially our teachers, are underpaid. Pay them and let us elected officials wait.”

A Guardian Media report said the proposed back pay would be as follows: chief secretary—$388,726; THA deputy chief secretary—$638,806; seven THA secretaries—$4.02 million; seven THA assistant secretaries—$4.5 million; THA minority leader—$519,030; and 15 THA assemblymen—$2.8 million.

Augustine pointed out that the reported millions in back pay for salary increases in the Tobago House of Assembly would not only go to current members.

“Your calculations are off, by the way. The current minority leader and the current chief secretary took office in 2021.”

He explained that past officeholders, like former chief secretaries and secretaries, would need to be paid as well, based on when they worked.

However, Guardian Media’s calculations were based on the position and not necessarily on the individual currently holding the office—since a number of people would have changed particular positions over the period referred to by the SRC.

The SRC’s recommendation spans from October 2020 to September 2023 period and then from October 2023 to the present.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Curtis Williams said it was the wrong time.

“This statement has sparked widespread discourse among our members. Most members have reflected concern over the timing and the magnitude of the proposed increase, especially given the nation’s economic challenges. It’s argued that raises for such high-ranking officials may not align with the broader public interest.”

If SRC’s recommendations are accepted and implemented, the chief secretary could see a salary increase from $41,030 to $52,150.

While the Minority Leader’s $16,540 salary is recommended to be increased to $28,771.

On Monday, Progressive Democratic Patriots political leader Watson Duke told Guardian Media the base salary for the prime minister should start at $100,000 as the $85,000 recommendation is insufficient.

He agreed to the salary hikes, saying it could form the basis for unions to demand equity across the board.

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