Look at CoP's proposed salary in proper context: Warner

Jack Warner said Sunday people must view the proposed salary of Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs and Deputy Commissioner Jack Ewatski in a broader context than how the current national dialogue is focused.

"When you look at the salaries, and you look at the fact that it is a foreigner and you look at what this means in terms of salary in his country, then you have to ask yourself whether this is a big salary or not," the Works and Transport minister told reporters who asked for his comment on the matter.

The new commissioner's salary of more than $130,000 a month has not yet been approved by cabinet. Ewatski's salary will be about $106,000 if approved by cabinet.

People have said that is too much since it is more than three times what the current police chief earns and more than the salaries of the president and the prime minister.

Warner disagreed that the amount is exorbitant when compared with what others are earning and have earned in the past.

"The general manager, for example, of some institutions in this country, which are under the ministries, they are getting more salary than the minister and I think that should be looked at, but I think it is premature at this point in time to make a judgment," he said.

"All I am saying to you again is that these guys are foreigners and you have to look at it in that context," Warner said.