Ministerial salaries review committee to adopt very different model - CNA
SINGAPORE: The Chairman of the committee that's undertaking a review of ministerial salaries in Singapore, Mr Gerard Ee said his committee will adopt a very different model to assess how much ministers should be paid.
It will use job specifications of ministers as a starting point.
Currently, the salaries are benchmarked to two thirds of the median income of the top eight earners from six professions such as lawyers, in the private sector.
Speaking to Channel NewsAsia, Mr Ee said there should also be other points of reference, such as a general wage level.
This means when the economy goes up or down, the salaries should also have a mechanism to reflect this.
"The big difference is that this (model), you look at the work and you say 'for this work, for this skill, for this knowledge in the private sector, how much will you have to pay to have someone perform such a work?'," said Mr Ee.
"It's a very different model altogether."
Mr Ee said he accepted the role after he was approached by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam less than a week ago.
He said: "I had to ask myself honestly, whether I would really be able to be neutral to it, and look at it very objectively like a professional. And when I was comfortable with that view, I accepted the appointment.
"Obviously, there is a trepidation, I know that this is a task that whatever the answer is, it will not please everybody, there will always be a difference of opinion and I know it is a job that is difficult and at the end of the day, you must be able to defend it robustly."
The 61-year-old, who is a familiar face in the charity sector, is Chairman of the National Kidney Foundation and Changi General Hospital.
He was also a former Nominated MP.
He said his committee will comprise independent-minded people, who are known to speak their minds.
He added that they also have the intellect to tackle such a major task.
Mr Ee said the committee will need to collect a lot of data involving experts in human resource.
It will come up with recommendations that still need to be robustly debated in parliament.
CONFUSEOUS says - THIS is going to be hilarious. I hope they broadcast this live, uncut. Can you imagine seeing Lim Shit Say arguing why he deserves his salary in his Choh Boh Ministry without Porfolio in the PM's office or Vivian inisisting that his salary be reduced further because he is now in a less important ministry or Bargain Hen threatening to go back to private practice if they really cut his pay?
Mr Ee added that the committee will not rush matters.
But any changes to the salary scales will take effect retrospectively from the day the ministers were sworn in (21 May).
"The inclination, obviously, once the PM (Lee) says to reflect the ethos and values of the political appointments, you can expect, that in all probability it will be a cut," said Mr Ee.
SINGAPORE: The Chairman of the committee that's undertaking a review of ministerial salaries in Singapore, Mr Gerard Ee said his committee will adopt a very different model to assess how much ministers should be paid.
It will use job specifications of ministers as a starting point.
Currently, the salaries are benchmarked to two thirds of the median income of the top eight earners from six professions such as lawyers, in the private sector.
Speaking to Channel NewsAsia, Mr Ee said there should also be other points of reference, such as a general wage level.
This means when the economy goes up or down, the salaries should also have a mechanism to reflect this.
"The big difference is that this (model), you look at the work and you say 'for this work, for this skill, for this knowledge in the private sector, how much will you have to pay to have someone perform such a work?'," said Mr Ee.
"It's a very different model altogether."
Mr Ee said he accepted the role after he was approached by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam less than a week ago.
He said: "I had to ask myself honestly, whether I would really be able to be neutral to it, and look at it very objectively like a professional. And when I was comfortable with that view, I accepted the appointment.
"Obviously, there is a trepidation, I know that this is a task that whatever the answer is, it will not please everybody, there will always be a difference of opinion and I know it is a job that is difficult and at the end of the day, you must be able to defend it robustly."
The 61-year-old, who is a familiar face in the charity sector, is Chairman of the National Kidney Foundation and Changi General Hospital.
He was also a former Nominated MP.
He said his committee will comprise independent-minded people, who are known to speak their minds.
He added that they also have the intellect to tackle such a major task.
Mr Ee said the committee will need to collect a lot of data involving experts in human resource.
It will come up with recommendations that still need to be robustly debated in parliament.
CONFUSEOUS says - THIS is going to be hilarious. I hope they broadcast this live, uncut. Can you imagine seeing Lim Shit Say arguing why he deserves his salary in his Choh Boh Ministry without Porfolio in the PM's office or Vivian inisisting that his salary be reduced further because he is now in a less important ministry or Bargain Hen threatening to go back to private practice if they really cut his pay?
Mr Ee added that the committee will not rush matters.
But any changes to the salary scales will take effect retrospectively from the day the ministers were sworn in (21 May).
"The inclination, obviously, once the PM (Lee) says to reflect the ethos and values of the political appointments, you can expect, that in all probability it will be a cut," said Mr Ee.
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