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Contact:
Director of Information Services
Monday, September 12, 2005 – The following statement has been released
by the Office of the Governor General in response to a release from the United
Workers Party entitled ‘The Governor General’s Salary – Some are more equal that
others”.
“Section 7 of The Governor General’s Emoluments and Pensions Act No. 4 of 1968
makes the following provisions for pension benefits for retired Governor
Generals:
Two-fifths of annual salary if he/she has held office
for five (5) consecutive years or more;
A pension in proportion to the period served of the
five-year period if he/she held office for less than
five (5) consecutive years.
Accordingly, of the three retired Governor Generals – Mr. Boswell Williams,
Sir Stanislaus James and Sir George Mallet, only Sir Stanislaus qualified for
receipt of 2/5 of his annual salary as pension. If his salary was indeed $
4,000.00 a month, he was entitled on retirement to a monthly pension of $
1,600.00. The monthly pensions of the other two would be considerably less. The
Principal Act however, allows a Governor General to continue receiving any other
pensions in respect of previous service in the Permanent Civil Service, during
the time that he/she holds the office of Governor General and after retirement,
and provides for the payment of a gratuity immediately upon retirement: that
amount was increased from 12.5 % to 25% of aggregate salary by an amendment to
the Act in 1990 (Section 6, Act 13 of 1990).
The amendment to the Act which was recently passed in the House of Assembly
pertains to retired Governor Generals only. The Living Allowance of $ 2,000.00 a
month is to be paid to the three retired Governor Generals – Mr. Boswell
Williams, Sir Stanislaus James and Sir George Mallet – not to the serving
Governor General. The monthly pension is to be increased from 2/5 to 2/3 of
their highest monthly salary with effect from January 1, 2005. The level of
gratuity payable remains the same – 25% of aggregate salary received during
their term of office.
Assuming that the salary of the current Governor General remains unchanged, she
would have to remain in office for 35 years, i.e. until. 2032 to qualify for a
gratuity of $ 840,000 as claimed in the statement released by the United Workers
Party.
The terms and conditions of service of Governor Generals provide for payment of
a tax-free salary, for a fully-serviced official residence, and for official
vehicles of which there are two. The Governor General is however responsible for
his/her own living expenses : the food he/she eats, the clothes he/she wears,
his/her medical expenses, insurance coverage – medical or otherwise, private
entertainment and contributions and donations to deserving causes. Where an
Official Residence is not provided, as has been the case, a housing allowance is
paid, which allowance is taken into account in the computation of total salary
earnings for retirement benefits (Amendment Section 2 Act 13 of 1990)
While there was an increase in the Governor General’s salary upon her
appointment, a review of the salaries paid to Governor Generals across the
CARICOM region would determine whether the current salary level in Saint Lucia
could be considered “outrageous”. Based on 2002 figures, the salary paid in
Saint Lucia represents the third lowest among the ten jurisdictions – The OECS,
Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica and Belize –, 35% below the regional average, 40%
below the median country, Grenada and 23% below the sub-regional average of the
six OECS countries.”
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