PM to forgo salary increase; announces reshuffled Cabinet

7:40 pm, Mon May 22, 2023

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Prime Minister Andrew Holness

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has announced that he will forgo his salary increase under the compensation package announced last week by Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke.

He made the announcement during a press conference Monday evening.

The Prime Minister, who spoke for more than an hour, spent most of the time trying to justify the increases granted to members of the political directorate. While the salaries of the Cabinet Ministers will remain, Mr. Holness said he will forgo his increase and continue to receive his current salary, which is set at $9.2 million.

He also gave a list of new measures to be implemented for parliamentarians, including financial penalties for missing parliamentary sittings, a job description and a code of ethics.

Mr. Holness said special courses of training will also be designed for MPs as well as Senators. They will be required to complete a certain number of hours to become certified in the practice of parliamentary affairs, procedures and practices.

Other accountability measures will include the requirement for ministers to publish at the beginning of each financial year, starting 2024, the policy, administrative and legislative priorities along with targets and performance indicators that they intend to achieve during the fiscal year. This will be in the form of a Ministry Paper after approval by the Prime Minister.

Cabinet shake-up

Mr. Holness also announced the much anticipated changes to his Cabinet - including the appointment of new Senator Dr. Dana Morris Dixon as a Minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for skills and digital transformation.

Other changes include the appointment of Floyd Green as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining. He will get support from Minister of State Franklyn Witter.

A new ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport will be headed by Daryl Vaz, with JC Hutchinson as State Minister.

Notably, former Transport and Mining Minister Audley Shaw has exited the Cabinet.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security will now be led by Pearnel Charles Jr. He takes over from Karl Samuda who has also left the Cabinet. Mr. Charles will be supported in the ministry by State Minister Dr. Norman Dunn.

Juliet Cuthbert Flynn has been appointed State Minister in the Ministry of National Security. She will serve alongside Dr. Horace Chang who retains his position as minister.

For Education, Fayval Williams will be joined by State Minister Marsha Smith.

Zavia Mayne is the new Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, joining Dr. Nigel Clarke.

Alando Terrelonge has been appointed State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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