Councillors in the Trelawny Parish Council will give up five per cent of their salaries to a needy cause within the parish, in keeping with Prime Minister Bruce Golding's call for elected officials to follow his lead.

In a national broadcast last week Sunday, Golding said he would "lead by example" and give up his seven per cent pay increase due April 1, as well as take a 15 per cent cut in his current salary. Golding encouraged his colleagues in Parliament to follow by taking a 10 per cent pay cut.

Mayor of Falmouth, Collin Gager, announced that all but one of the nine councillors in the Jamaica Labour Party-controlled council agreed to a salary deduction.

This came after Mayor of Spanish Town, Dr Andrew Wheatley, announced that the majority of members of the JLP-dominated St Catherine Parish Council,would take a five per cent cut in their $1.2 million salaries and donate those funds to the parish infirmary.

Gager stated at the monthly meeting of the council last Thursday that the move was in keeping with the national effort against the economic crises now facing the country, as well as the recent call from Prime Minister Golding.

Donations

Government Senator Dennis Meadows, who was at the meeting, suggested the money be donated to the Trelawny Infirmary.

Gager explained that, while the councillors were agreeable to the suggestion, they needed to meet and take a decision.

"That is what all councillors have expressed. They really want to see it work. They do not want to see it get lost in the system, but that they should be able to see what they are receiving from this help they are giving," he said.

Gager added that mention was made of the infirmary benefiting when the matter was first brought up, but that the final decision should be reached in time for the deduction to be taken from their April salaries.

Councillor Jonathan Bartley, of Wakefield Division, went a step further and pledged 50 per cent of his traveling allowance to a basic school in his division.