PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday during the Council of Ministers' weekly press briefing, Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams stated that the COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) has not yet been finalized since the budget of 2013 is not yet approved. Wescot Williams said that the COLA indexation has to be reviewed since the current system that is being used for the indexation is not feasible for government. She said a review has to be done while they are also considering to do the indexation based on the performance evaluation that has to be conducted. Former Minister of Finance Roland Tuitt while in office stated that he had contacted a company in the Netherlands to assist St. Maarten with an assessment on how the indexation would have been done. According to information provided to SMN News, the legal affairs department was working on advice that had to be sent to KPMG who was supposed to work on an evaluation for the Government of St. Maarten prior to the company from the Netherlands conducting their study.
In earlier press briefings, the Prime Minister said that Minister of Finance Martin Hassink could not find any trace on the company or what was done with the evaluation process when he took office. On Wednesday, Minister Hassink said he managed to make contact with the company in the Netherlands and they are still negotiating for them to visit the island to conduct the study for the government of St. Maarten.
Minister Hassink said personnel expenses for the government of St. Maarten is very worrisome. He said in 2011 personnel expenses was 39% of the budget which increased to 43% in 2012. He said that the expenses for the Education Ministry is included but it does not include the subsidies given to school boards. Minister Hassink explained that people should not look at the COLA cost, but they should globalize it to entire personnel expenses of government. Minister Hassink said this is not just an issue of indexation but also automatic increases and pension plans which are all very important.
SMN News asked the Prime Minister since they are reviewing the cost and indexation for government workers if they intend to also review the salaries for Ministers and Members of Parliament. In her response the Prime Minister said that the salaries for Ministers and Members of Parliament are mandated in a law. She said that Ministers work for their salaries and they cannot do any other thing while holding office as a Minister. Wescot Williams said that they will not be reviewing the salaries for Ministers or Members of Parliament even though the guidelines for Members of Parliament is lighter. "The set up that was made for Ministers and MPs salaries was a choice made for St. Maarten prior to it becoming a country, we are the ones responsible for the operations of the country. With regards to Ministers salaries I believe the argument put forward is a valid one because Ministers cannot use the excuse that they are not properly compensated compared to when they were an Island Territory. The arguments are still very valid but the law is not very specific for Members of Parliament."
She further stated that the same law states that Ministers and politically appointed workers have a right to compensation until they find a job (the bridging allowances).
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