Where Is The Transparency?

By David Mullings

“And what are going to be the priorities of our government? Transparency and accountability in government and the elimination of corruption”

- The Honourable Bruce Golding’s inaugural address at the swearing-in ceremony as Prime Minister of Jamaica

The Jamaica Gleaner (Nov. 12) carries an article titled “Gov’t mum on advisers salaries” in the business section (this should be front page news in all honesty). The article contends that “The Government on Tuesday failed to come up with answers to questions about the emoluments of consultants and advisers contracted by the Bruce Golding administration.”

Is this an example of the transparency that the Prime Minister so boldly proclaimed at his swearing in?

In light of the selective disgust with salaries in recent months: J$30 million for consulting is “value for money”, J$60 million to not live in “squalor” is fine but J$14.5 million salary and J$24 million for housing and maintenance is “repugnant”, it is imperative that the government of the day reveal what was requested. If in fact, salaries are the issue, I am sure that the Bruce Golding administration will not incur a single black eye when the reveal the salaries of these advisers and consultants, for they would not be burdens on the taxpayers or seem “repugnant” to the public.

Or so one would expect when stones are being thrown for we know of the “glass house syndrome” that afflicts Jamaican politicians.

While we are at it, I would like to request that the salaries of advisers and consultants hired under the PNP also be released so we can get some context and truly understand, as taxpayers and the employers of these politicians, advisers and consultants, how much we paid and what we were getting for the money.

The Prime Minister CANNOT justify cutting a single person from the public service in the name of saving money until the advisers and consultants’ salaries are made public and those are first eliminated or reduced.

Jamaicans around the world await the promised transparency.