The two salaries and other perks paid each month to the Premier of Nevis, Hon. Vance Amory and his Deputy Premier, Hon. Mark Brantley by the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) and the Federal Government of St. Kitts and Nevis combined, exceed EC$1 million annually.
The disclosure has come from former Permanent Secretary in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) and past President of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) in St. Kitts, Dr. Kelvin Daley, who said both Amory and Brantley tops the list as highest paid public officials in the Caribbean and questioned the two officials requesting economic and social development assistance from foreign leaders.
Amory, who heads the NIA Cabinet in Charlestown, Nevis, is also the Senior Minister and Minister of Labour and Ecclesiastical Affairs in the Federal Government in Basseterre, while his Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism in Charlestown in Nevis, is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation in the Federal Government of Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris in Basseterre, St. Kitts.
According to Dr. Daley Premier Amory takes home US$134,000 annually.
“When you combine both salaries in the NIA and Federal Estimates, the allowances, the per diem, constituency and travel allowances and other benefits it is over EC$1 million a year,” said Dale, who added that Nevis must be outraged that Premier Amory at the swearing-in of his Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) Cabinet in 2013 announced that he and is ministers were taking a ten percent pay cut, but by 2016, Amory was making 43 percent more and his ministers than in 2013.
He said it was equally outrageous with the constant attempt by the Premier and Deputy Premier to justify the collection of two salaries and other emoluments.
“With all of the talk of unethical behaviour with the double salary issue, why haven’t our two parliamentarians in Nevis say ‘we have made an error of judgement, there is no way we can accept two salaries or should have accepted two salaries and the best thing to do is to give back one, pay back one, or give it to some needy families or poor families. We will continue with one salary,” aid Daley, who said that in doubling down on the issue by Amory and Brantley, “I have heard every explanation under the sun as to why they are entitled to the two salaries monthly.”
“It is wrong, it is outrageous,” said Daley, who pointed out how Premier Amory or Deputy Premier Brantley can go to a foreign leader and requested financial and other assistance.
“Where is the Prime Minister (Dr. Timothy Harris) on this issue? He is condoning this. He is the highest authority in the Federation. It is causing us to look like a banana republic. He says it is not prohibited by law,” said Dr. Daley.
“There is something called ethics, good behaviour, good governance,” said Dr. Daley, who pointed out that where there were similar scenarios in previous administrations, the higher salary was received.
Prime Minster Harries is on record as stating that he gets the full attention of Amory and Brantley at the Federal level and their work as Premier and Deputy Premier of Nevis is a matter for the people of Nevis.
“Why is it different for Amory and Brantley? Why do they feel they are entitled to two salaries?” asked Dr. Daley, who lamented that the issue is causing “stress and embarrassment.”
According to Dr. Daley, both Amory and Brantley top the list of highest paid leaders in the Caribbean.
“If that is not embarrassing, I don’t know what is not,” said Dr. Daley, who pointed out that the Prime Minister of Guyana, is paid US$120,000. The Prime Minister of Barbados, US$101,000. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, US$67,000 and Jamaica is even lower.
Dr. Daley also question the acceptance by Amory and Brantley of EC$30,000 each annually in constituency allowance from the Federal Government in Basseterre. “Neither of them has a constituency office in Nevis or in St. Kitts. If you want to see them you either wait on the Nevis pier when they are travelling to St. Kitts or pay $62 to go to St. Kitts to see them,” said Daley who disclosed that both Amory and Brantley take home a total of EC$108,000 in two allowances from the NIA and the Federal Governments.