Are Ministers Willing to Get a Pay Cut?
Michel Chebat
The Briceño administration is assuming office in difficult times, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on and industries struggle to bounce back. The P.U.P. government has promised to realize progress and development in all sectors. But for there to be the development that Prime Minister Briceño has promised, there must be money. The P.U.P. says that it will cut government’s wasteful spending. Austerity measures will be implemented across the board so we asked several ministers on Monday if they are willing to get a pay cut.
Reporter
“Do you support a review of all the allowances for Ministers, even the salary payment in a time like this to show that you consider the people and you consider the hardship that they are going through?”
Michel Chebat, Minister of Health and Wellness
“Listen everything is on the table, everything is under review and we need to find the best possible policy moving forward and it is only limited to ministers but it is looking at the entire ministries and the entire government and see how we can implement cost saving measures.”
Cordel Hyde
Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister
“If it is up to me we will announce this afternoon we will take a pay cut and we will rationalize allowances to ministers, if it was up to me. But that is not a discussion we’ve had but I think we have to take the lead initiative in the country. The entire country will be asked to make sacrifices if things are as bad as I think they are and we have to lead by example.”
Oscar Requeña
Oscar Requeña, Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Dev., Labor, and Local Government
“At the end of the day we recognize that everybody is going through a difficult time. It is a matter of if we have to do whatever we have to do to set the example we will because at the end of the day it is about country first.”
Kevin Bernard
Kevin Bernard, Minister of Sports, Youth, and E-Governance
“I would agree to anything that would allow us to have us cost-saving measures. I had to do so in the council as the mayor and I believe as a responsible government the Prime Minister and cabinet will make the necessary decision that will see an ease of the burdens on our tax payers.”
Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Public Utilities and Logistics
“As our economy continues to diminish we will have to find means and ways to reduce the cost and as an individual I don’t mind making the sacrifice for the rest of Belize.”
