value for their money.

Finance Minister Dr. Grant Gibbons tabled the resolution permitting the pay raises to come into effect on April 1.

Dr. Gibbons said the hike would keep Parliamentarians' salaries in line with inflation.

The raise is based on a 2.1 percent inflation rate from December 1997. Shadow Finance Minister Eugene Cox pointed out that MPs' salaries were only increased $55 a month.

Noting her 35-years of service as an MP, Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister Lois Browne-Evans urged the public to keep in mind that Parliamentarians do not make a lot of money.

Mrs. Browne-Evans said she was driven by duty, not cash.

"It's not that much money,'' she said. "I do it for the people.

"I'm gone 65 and I'm still serving this Country.'' And she said she wanted the public to know that the increase amounted to only a $12 a week increase for MPs.

Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness insisted that all Members of the House worked hard for their pay cheques.

And he argued it was important to democracy that MPS were paid well.

He said decent pay cheques provided MPs with a sense of security for their families and offered motivation for young people to enter politics instead of opting for private industry.

Mr. Edness said it may be time to set up an independent commission to investigate MPs' duties and decide what they should be paid.

Opposition House Leader Reginald Burrows said a lot of the public believed the myth that if you were an MP, "then you have money''.

And he said that a great portion of an MP's salary was spent on charitable donations, and attending functions.

Parliamentary salaries Position Old salary New salary Senators $20,978 $21,419 MPs $31,466 $32,127 Officers of the Legislature* President of Senate $10,489 $10,709 Vice President, Senate $2,098 $2,142 Speaker of the House $18,356 $18,741 Deputy Speaker $9,178 $9,371 Premier $57,689 $58,900 Deputy Premier** $39,333 $40,159 Finance Minister** $44,578 $45,514 Other Ministers $20,978 $21,419 Opposition Leader $20,978 $21,419 Parl. Secretary $7,867 $8,032 Party Whips $5,245 $5,355 *Salaries additional to salaries as Senators or Members of the House of Assembly **Where the Deputy Premier is also Minister of Finance the salary shall be $45,514.