PM willing to take pay cut

Posted on The National

PRIME Minister James Marape is willing to take a 20 per cent pay cut as part of a “cleaning-up process” of the salaries of MPs and top-ranked officers in Government.
Marape, Public Service Minister Westley Nukundji and acting deputy secretary (policy and reform) in the Personnel Management Department William Hapipai were yesterday sworn in by Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae as members of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
He said the commission had to find a balance in salaries and ensure leaders were remunerated properly.
“This ceremony today is just a formality to get the Commission off the ground,” Marape said.
“Speaking from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission perspective, there are other officers highly paid than MPs. This is part of a cleaning-up process.
“If there (has to be) an increase in salaries, it should be for officers working their way up the rank and file as they are in the engine room and (are) the backbone of any organisation.”
Marape said if he had his way, he would have his own salary cut by 20 per cent as part of the “cleaning-up process of overpaid leaders”.
He said the commission was to ensure that “our leaders including politicians, government secretaries, managing directors and chief executive officers of statutory bodies and State-owned enterprises were remunerated properly”.
“We are economically facing harsh times and working within what is provided for us,” Marape said.
“However, there are huge discrepancies (between) overpaid and underpaid (workers) in the various pay systems.”
“He said pay increases “are not the focus of this Commission”.
“Even I as the prime minister am paid less than some chief executive officers and managing directors of various constitutional bodies.”
Hence this will be looked into by the SRC.
“It is only fair for our people to have a genuine balance in remuneration packages.”
Nukundj said he would discourage any increase in salaries for MPs and chief executive officers of State-owned enterprises.
He said even if the time was right (thriving economy), there was no need to increase the salaries of leaders.

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