St Kitts-Nevis: Salaries Review Commission may have met on Friday

Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris seems to be full speed ahead in giving himself, ministers and parliamentarians an increase in salary in the next few months and certainly before the next general elections.

Although there has been no official statement from Dr Harris, the Minister of Finance on the setting up of the commission and its mandate, three persons, said to be members were observed on the steps of or in the vicinity of Government Headquarters on Friday afternoon.

There were Messrs. Howard McEachrane, Analdo Bailey and Franklin Maitland, all very close friends of prime minister Harris. Mr McEachrane was appointed by Dr Harris as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank. He resigned after less than two years on the job. Dr Harris appointed Mr Bailey as a director on the National Bank Board and Mr Maitland as chief finance officer on the committee that supervises the payout of the US$16 million sugar money to ex-sugar workers. Harris also appointed Maitland on the Integrity in Public Life Commission but he later resigned after his eligibility was questioned.

The country was first informed of the existence of the Salaries Review Commission by Queen's Counsel, Charles Wilkin in a radio commentary two weeks ago.

In his examination of the four-year-old coalition administration, Wilkin felt it was too early for a salary increase as the government had yet to deliver on several of its major manifesto promises.

Operation Rescue founder, Dwyer Astaphan. Leader of the Opposition, Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas, opposition parliamentarians, Hon. Marcella Liburd and Hon Konris Maynard are also opposed to an increase of salaries for ministers and parliamentarians.