Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness Advocates For Performance-Based Compensation

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness says he plans to institute performance-based compensation, performance systems, and performance accountability, towards improving productivity.

Holness was at a town hall meeting in Montego Bay,  promising to rectify anomalies stemming from the recent public sector compensation program.

“We must get more out of every hour of work in the day,” Holness said, adding that “I know it is going to set off all kind of alarm and quarrel and all kind of things in the society.

The Prime Minister said Jamaicans have sometimes a view that asking for more work is almost like servitude and advised that they should not confuse service with servitude.

“As a people, our mentality with this growing economy has to change now to keep that energy in the economy that we’re going to give more effort because we have to put in place a system that more effort is going to result in more pay.

“If the society is going to maintain what we have started and move to another level, then our system of reward must be one that is compatible with greater incentive and greater reward for greater work.

Holness also promised to address the issue of disproportionate salaries of elected officials and public sector workers.

He said he does not agree with the disparity in salaries and “I understand the complaints, but I am asking for some patience, I am ask for understanding, and I am saying to you, keep a positive outlook. These matters are going to be addressed.”

According to Holness, the last time elected officials had a pay increase was in 2002 under Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.

He said this was so because “because administrations, knowing the sensitivities of this pay issue, did not want to take the political risk to keep the elected officials pay in step with inflation and with the adjustments in salaries.