Government stance on salaries commission 'negative, divisive' - Anglu Farrugia

Labour deputy leader for parliamentary affairs Anglu Farrugia accused the prime minister of shying away from a transparent approach on salaries and honoraria for ministers and MPs.

“The government’s negative and divisive position emerging from the House Business Committee shows it does not want any interference over ministers’ second salary,” Farrugia said. “This confirms the Cabinet’s original intention of paying itself a salary raise without publicising it.”

Farrugia has presented a proposal to the House Business Committee for a permanent commission that would include the Ombudsman, the Auditor General and the Chief Electoral Commissioner, to recommend salaries and honoraria for political office holders and MPs. The proposals would have to be made public.

But deputy prime minister Tonio Borg said there had been no agreement on the appointment of a commission as proposed by Labour.

Labour said it wants a permanent, independent commission to recommend what remuneration the President, the Prime Minister, ministers, the Speaker of the House and the Opposition leader as well as other political office holders, should be paid.

Ministers were awarded a salary raise of €26,000 in May 2008, but the OPM never officially announced the decision. When MaltaToday inquired about the raise in September 2008, the OPM said the decision had been to pay ministers their parliamentary honorarium.

However, it was never revealed that ministers were being paid an honorarium higher than the €19,000 paid to MPs, and parliament never legislated the increase which was instead factored in the allowances for respective ministries.

The Prime Minister has now announced ministers will refund up to €19,000 of the ‘honorarium’ claimed over and above the €19,000 ministers are taking.

“This is not the time for an increase in honoraria, and we do not agree with the non-transparent way the government has acted. If Gonzi had a modicum of decency, he would accept a permanent committee to examine these salaries,” Farrugia said.