Cabinet Approves Salary Increases for Parish Judges

Cabinet has approved salary increases for Parish Judges, similar to those approved for the wider public service.

They will receive 16 per cent over the three-year period at the rate of five per cent, two per cent and nine per cent, respectively.

Finance and the Public Service Minister, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, made the announcement during the sitting of the House of Representatives on June 18.

Dr. Clarke informed that a Commission, chaired by Leighton McKnight, a partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers, to enquire into the emoluments of Judges of the Parish Courts and other specified positions was established in 2017.

He said that in arriving at its final position with regard to salaries and other benefits for the Parish Judges, the Commission was mindful of, and attempted to balance the implications against a range of considerations.

These considerations include continued fiscal and expenditure constraints; wage constraints applied to all categories of employees in the Public Service; preservation of judicial independence; and the relative hierarchy of the roles and compensation in the judiciary, based on the award provided to the Higher Judiciary.

“The Commission also noted that notwithstanding the country’s economic challenges, a concerted effort should be made to adequately remunerate the Parish Judges, as the consequences of not doing this may be very costly, both economically and socially,” Dr. Clarke said.

Meanwhile, the Minister reminded the House of the ongoing compensation review, which is aimed at a comprehensive restructuring of the compensation systems in the public sector.

“Underpinned by a clear philosophy and ideology, the new framework will provide clarity, equity, predictability and simplicity in the administration of compensation across the public sector to include all salary and allowances,” Dr. Clarke explained.