Prime Minister details cuts to Ministers’ salaries, allowances

Published by BBN Staff at May 7, 2021

Posted: Friday, May 7, 2021. 8:13 am CST.

By Aaron Humes: Prime Minister John Briceño says his Government has followed through on his promised ten – actually, fifteen – percent cut in salaries of Ministers of Government implemented in January, and 50 percent in allowances.

This has been a sticking point for trade unions in their negotiations to avoid or lessen the impact of their own cuts in salaries and freezes in increments.

But according to the Prime Minister, those allowances are actually being used as part of community assistance: “It’s not as if we are taking that money for ourselves, we are using it.”

And considering that Government has only bought a few new vehicles and many are using their personal vehicles including the Prime Minister himself, the least the unions could allow is a vehicle allowance to cover gas mileage and so on.

“I found it ridiculous when some people in the unions were saying that we should not even get a vehicle allowance, for those who are using their personal vehicles – I’m using my personal vehicle. And now they are saying they even want to cut that – that’s being malicious; that’s not being reasonable.”

The P.M. concluded that his grouping “are doing their part,” though some have called for even stiffer measures such as eliminating Cabinet positions entirely.

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