[www.inewsguyana.com] – Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds has taken Minister of State Joseph Harmon to task for accusing former PPP/C Ministers of “accepting low salaries because they were thieving money all over the place’.
See below full text of the former Prime Minister Sam Hinds’ comment:
“Perhaps we could and should take this outburst as just another instance of the ‘fish-market busing down’ that is being dished out at us. What is of greater concern however, is what this whole affair might reveal about the beliefs and attitudes of the Honourable Minister and our current Administration, and the signals it is giving: that there are set levels of salaries which sensible, bright persons will insist on. Only dull, ‘thiefing’ people will accept less. What else can we think, since they would have known the salary levels before they took office and appear to have assumed office with the clear intention of raising their salaries, even before any work was done.
When I became Prime Minister in October 1992, the PM’s gross pay was about 70% of what I was being paid in Guymine/ Linmine, about thirty- something thousand dollars per month as far as I could remember. Then I learnt that PAYE, NIS and a contribution to a Parliamentary pension had to be deducted: not much to take home. But that was where we and our country were in 1992. It was from such an understanding that we, PPP/C Ministers, accepted the job to be leaders in the growth and development of our people and country: growing our economy and improving our people’s well being.
Even with the very low Ministerial salaries then, much below the salaries of many Permanent Secretaries, we did not make raising Ministers salaries the first order of business. That the Prime Minister’s gross salary about US $ 300 per month in 1992,can now be set at over US$ 8,000 per month in 2015, must speak loudly about some degree of success, some achievements of the PPP/C Administration. Very much so! As I observed in a note to the recent twentieth biennial Congress of the GPSU, that in spite of all the mistrust and contentions, the minimum wage of public servants has at the same time been increased from under US $ 30 to above US$ 175 / month, and housing and vehicle ownership amongst public servants have greatly improved.
It was not easy, not all smooth sailing, calling for much sacrifice of Ministers and their families (as it was for all of our citizens), much doing without, much cutting and contriving. It was not about ‘thiefing money all over the place’ but about contributing to the development of our people and country. Some appreciation would be expected for the much better wicket on which the new Administration finds itself.
Mr. Editor, my fellow Guyanese, hurt as I am, I am even more concerned when I read that the Honourable Minister went on to say further, ‘ and so we must pay people well if we want them to perform’. How is this ‘paid well’ to be assessed and set, and from where does the money come? Is it that people who are not performing, are not being paid well? And is it that people who are not being paid well would not be performing? Is there not to be any sense of service, duty or patriotism? I have heard the Hon. Minister claiming at an earlier time that ‘if you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys.’ But what if all the harvest we have, are peanuts?
Let me say clearly before I am misunderstood. We of the PPP/C want much better salaries. We want all our people working well and being paid well – that is what we have been always working for. But the good pay which we all want and need is the outcome of our work and many things within and outside our control. That
good pay we need cannot be set by any fiat: rather it is the need for that good pay which drives us to apply ourselves, hopefully better each day, and to put up with and work with many persons whom otherwise we would not want to be near.
Mr. Editor, the salaries of Cabinet members as we left them in May 2015 were reasonable and livable for where Guyana is now. What is of great concern is that in the presence of difficulties in gold, rice, bauxite and sugar, salary increases for the Cabinet has been the top priority. Recall that we had our difficulties too in 1992, with bauxite ( the inherited agreement which eventually called for closure; Alcoa buying out Reynolds then notifying us of plans to withdraw); gold ( prices falling from about US$ 500 /oz to US$ 255/oz); rice with its ups and downs in the European and other markets and sugar perennially challenging. We held off from increasing the salaries of Cabinet members relative to others for ten years, not because we were ‘ thiefing’ but because we felt we needed to hold the strain that we were asking of others.
Mr. Editor, my fellow Guyanese, the problem we of the PPP/C fear about this affair is that the stage is being set for another inflationary spiral, heaven forbid, such as our people and country had to endure from shortly after independence unto 1992. When I joined the bauxite company (DEMBA) in McKenzie as a fresh, young engineer in 1967, I received a handsome pay (for Guyana at that time) of G$750 per month. A brand new motor car then, was priced at G$ 4,000 with tax included. As I tried to accumulate the down payment, prices were rocketing and I closed my eyes and bought a brand new car in 1973 for G$ 16,000, a fourfold increase in six years! As inflation continued at faster rates than pay increases, I could not overhaul the engine in 1990 and sold that car after coming to office in 1992, for G$ 300,000 at which time the price for a brand new car with all taxes paid was approaching four million Guyana dollars! That is a vivid presentation of the inflation we had experienced and which we, the PPP/C, had to take account of in 1992. It is our tight financial discipline which might have seemed mean but which was very necessary against that background of two and a half decades of rampant inflation, which is to be thanked for our progress since 1992. That discipline should not be compromised – we are not yet out of the woods.
The belittling and making trite of, rather than acknowledging and recognizing the challenge in the great improvement which there has been during our PPP/C years, does nothing for national cohesion or for our prospect for continued growth and development.”
Veronica. Where ignorance is bliss, it’s funny to be wise. Open your eyes and see through your own brains: don’t be a sheep.
Or u mean a bunch of golden girls ..I think the neemakram is Betty whiteeee lol
Car you sound like a real racist. Guyana don’t need ppl like you or the rest of racist ppl around.
Emile mervin writes copiously and fanatically, accusing the former PPP/C government of corruption. The simple fact is that, as the World Bank stated, Guyana under the Minister of Finance Carl Greenidge in 1992 was bankrupt. The PPP /C rescued the country with yearly growth of GDP. The PNC had destroyed our economy, people were criminalised, becoming illegal smugglers and migrants. If Mr mervin has superior knowledge than the World Bank economic experts, then let him be granted the highest office in Guyana. If not, he should be dissuaded from foolish utterances.
If mr hinds was a great man he would not have fired the magistrate and where was red thread when his Son child’s mother was beaten. He was part of a corrupt govt. Drugs death and you name and now playing good guy some ppl don’t believe in god. But this is god’s work. Thief ppl are suffering drugs and the ppp was living it up. And these same folks. Did not say a word alll because of stupid race. Blasted thieves and drug pushers
Why can’t the masses of Guyanese see for themselves that this present government is just looking to fill their pockets. If they have the peoples interest at heart, the least they would do is to grab at a 50% pay increase. Your days in office is numbered. Mr. Hinds you are a man of integrity and honour unlike that gold digger Harmon.
Guyanese had a rough 23 years , what can beat that anni??
So true Arthur! Everyone gets on social media and talk but at the end of the day we all sit back take whatever is given to us regardless of whose in power, in other countries the people really speak up and have a voice and they cause change, in Guyana we just lay back ant take it!
For his distinguished service to the people of Guyana he deserves his current benefit.
Side Kick you deserve a swift kick up the A**. They only way the PPP/C won’t be back in office is simply due to two factors (rigging and support by the US). Do you comprehend now.
Just hearing about thieving and forensic audit.. any real proof yet about what they stole? Bunch of oldies running the country
What Sam Hinds did for Guyana for the hefty pension is is now receiving?
You are so right. He needs to go away.
The country has already been recked by the PPP. Mr Hinds now find his voice when he was PM he said nothing all he was doing was living the good life off the backs of the poor people.
Truth is not stupidity when one reads what Sam Hinds stated in his lettter . Did you look at harmon and take note that he is bombastic lets not forget dishonest to boot. Their 50% salary increase is an act of baldfaced thievery .
I wish this stupid looking man would have spoken out when his massas were teefing the country dry… Best spend his time trying to teach his no good girlfriend beating son how to behave in polite society…
@CAR
You forget to mention the PNC Regime that LOOTED the Guyana treasury for 30 years!
ask Former Finance Minister HOPE where he got all the LOOT money to buy a mansion on Connecticut USA.
you are a disgrace to all Guyana so STFU!
just a PNC STOOGE..
HYPOCRICY!
Election 2020 will not bring back the PPP, not with Jagdeo at the helm. No sir.
Sam bought a car but Sam also received free housing, electricity and water. And as time passed by, Sam got promotions that entitled him to company vehicles.
Sam is right…we all know about certain group of people who like sport..eat..drink.dress up and spend out all their money and go home hungry…lol…this is the mentality of present govt….and now ask who running all the business in guyana.take a walk down town…dooms day for guyana….pls venezvuela come take guyana over…
Sam Hinds slams Harmon for ‘thieving all over the place’ statement
Well KN and SN was used as the conduit to inform the world that all PPPC ministers were thieves but so far not a shred of proof.
Want to know where the thieving taking place? City Hall.
KN and SN dare not investigate there.
Nagamoottoo want to live it up now since he never get a chance to.
These Long packet guys are never see come for see ! they know they only
have the one term so what you think, they are going drain every cent of the
treasury !!!
Former Prime Minister you are a man of integrity. I totally agreed with your feedbacks. This defacto Governmenf will reck our Country. In less than 5 months a 50% increase is unacceptable.
It’s been a little less than 5 months since APNU taken over Admin of Guyana, they can’t possibly clean 23 years of decay in such a short period of time, and I am sick and tired of the PPP/C keeps, commenting in the negative. Mr. Hinds you are a disgrace to all Black Guyanese, you sat on your arse and allowed the PPP to abuse, degrade and disrespect your people, all the while you enjoyed the “Syrup from Satan’s Lips” including protection from the likes of Roger Khan. You had a Magistrate fired after she tried doing her jobb according to te law, and because it involved your son. You are a disgrace, and need to GO AWAY, NOW!
First, Sammy is not a real PPPite, no matter how hard he tries to defend the corrupt, thieving PPP. He was a guest/employee of the PPP regime for his entire 22.7 years, and was never eligible to become President. He was a willing victim of PPP-type apartheid: separate and unequal. Then he was unceremoniously dumped in favor of another black token who quickly dumped the PPP after it lost power.
Second, Sammy can reel off all his facts and figures to sustain his defense of the PPP, but the evidence of massive stealing under the same PPP stares the him and the entire nation in the face. He simply chooses to ignore it so he can have a conscience that excuses instead of accuses him.
Look at all the skin-ups of corruption making the news, including Pradoville II, where everyone received electricity and water without meters until it was exposed to months ago. Sammy needs to retire from politics, period.
Nice. Except for the car prices, a gross exaggeration at 1992. However, he didn’t say type of car.
“The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, suffering in the land” – Jimmy Cliff.
Well said . Hard days ahead.
Mr Hinds’ this man hormon have no integrity and shame as such he seek to attach and associate his lawlessness with those that serves and lives with distinguish honor and pride.
yep we sure in for a 5yr struggle that’s the hope, lets see what election 2020 will bring
I have to agree, I thought the Finance Minister said the country was in a deficit and that they was no money, the pensioners suffering the money they are giving them is a slap in the face, the school voucher system, 5% for public servant what’s going on but everyone just sit back and the taxpayers footing all these ministers salaries and trips. Where is the so call good life for all, all politics and bullshit!
Horror man have no defence for their greedy execution as such he choose to cast the blame on the P.P.P. and attack their integrity.He and group have no respect for the people who voted for them with high expectation ,all they have in return is more and more disappointment each day.This is going to be a long and hard five years for all Guyanese.
well said mr hinds they haven’t done a thing yet and they want to live big apnu/afc always talking about how large the ppp living how they are doing the same and worst i am sure is to come out of these wanna be