A significant pay rise in the pipe line for Solomon Islands' Politicians

A proposal is being put before the Parliamentary Entitlements Commission for what is believed to be a significant rise in pay for members of parliament.

The SIBC understands the proposal puts the Prime Ministers annual salary at 145-thousand dollars, his deputy 130-thousand, ministers of the crown and the leader of opposition at 120-thousand, the deputy speaker of parliament and the leader of the independent MPs 110-thousand, whilst ordinary MPs get 100-thousand.

The Parliamentary Entitlements Commission met today to look at the proposal.

SIBC News was unable to determine how much extra the proposed increases would cost government, and if the submission includes proposed increases to other entitlements of the MPs.

It is also not clear how much the proposed salaries would increase from the current levels.

But National Secretary to the Solomon Islands Council of Trade Unions, Tony Kagovai says he believes the increases are significant.

Mr Kagovai says he will need look into the likely impacts of the proposed salary increase to MPs before making a statement on behalf of SICTU members later.

He however says even if the proposed increases are not significant from what members of the previous house were getting, they do not justify the quality of services that government provides to its people.

Source: SIBC