Hamilton

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's chief adviser's salary is greater than that of the Minister of Finance, all the Cabinet and state ministers, the Speaker of the House and the Opposition Leader.

Dr. Rosalea Hamilton, the PM's chief of staff, is earning $4.02 million a year, which is just a stone's throw away from the Prime Minister's $4.7 million per annum. In addition to her salary, Dr. Hamilton travelling allowanceis close to half a million dollars in travelling allowances for the year.

The only parliamentarian who would be paid more money than Dr. Hamilton, who is a former trade policy consultant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the current CEO of the Institute of Law and Economics Limited, is the Deputy Prime Minister.

This person would get $4.1 million, however, Prime Minister Simpson Miller is yet to name one of her comrades to that post.

In July of this year, it was revealed that Members of Parliament (MPs) were slated to receive increases between 15 and 17.5 per cent over a two-year period.

The 60 MPs are to receive between 10 and 12.5 per cent in the first year (April 1, 2006-March 2007) and five per cent in year two (April 1, 2007- March 2008).

However, the increase is awaiting Cabinet approval, which has not yet come to fruition. In 2002, parliamen-tarians received a 103 per cent salary hike. The increase was linked to a general increase for civil servants, aimed at bringing their wages to 80 per cent of those paid in the private sector for comparable work.

The increase, however, triggered public outcry and prompted then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson to appoint a parliamentary salaries committee, chaired by Oliver Clarke, to review the formula for awarding increases in compensation to parliamentarians.

A job summary provided by Jamaica House said that Dr. Hamilton is responsible for providing policy advice to the Prime Minister and or Cabinet with respect to the areas of portfolio responsibility of the Prime Minister. Mrs. Simpson Miller has responsibilities such as defence, sports and information in her portfolio.

Dr. Hamilton is the highest-paid individual on the Prime Minister's seven-member personal staff, which also consists of two senior advisers, two special assistants, a press secretary and an executive assistant. Mrs. Simpson Miller's special staff is collectively paid approximately $18 million per annum in salaries and travelling allowances.

Dr. Hamilton and Reneé Anne Shirley's salaries had to be approved by the Ministry of Finance and Planning. Both women are employed for a fixed term with a fixed salary.