The Tribune

STATE Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis brushed aside assertions that a correction in the new 2013/2014 budget was evidence that the government broke the law in the last budget period when giving state ministers a $6,000 a year raise.

The issue was raised by FNM columnist Sharon Turner who said that based on the budget tabled last week, “the law was broken by the government last year, because the salary of MPs, senators and ministers cannot be legally altered/raised without a resolution 
being tabled in parliament that it is passed by the parliament.”

However, Mr Halkitis maintains that there was no increase in salary granted to ministers of state in last year’s budget.

He said that every year, the budget estimates when printed, show the current year’s estimates and the original estimates, as presented, for the immediate preceding year as well as the estimated actual expenditure for two prior years.

“So for every item of expenditure, this year’s budget estimates will show what is budgeted for the upcoming year 2013/2014; the original estimate, as presented last year, for 2012/2013; and the provisional expenditure for years 2011/2012 and 2010/2011,” he said.

Explaining the error last year, Mr Halkitis told the House of Assembly: “Salaries of the current ministers of state will remain at $60,000 and at the appropriate time in this debate the necessary amendments will be made to the bill to reflect the $60,000 for ministers of state. No minister of state has been paid at the level of $66,000.”

The state minister said that when next year’s budget is presented, it will show the provisional expenditure for each item for the year 2012/2013 and will show that Ministers of State salaries were unchanged at $60,000 per year.

“In order to change the salary of any minister, member of parliament or senator, an amendment to the Parliamentarians (Salaries and Allowances) Act is required to be passed by the House of Assembly and Senate.

“No such amendment was made.

“This can be easily verified,” Mr Halkitis said.