Prior to the 1972, pay increases for Parliamentarians were effected on an ad hoc basis. In 1972 the then Prime Minister Michael Manley appointed a committee chaired by Mr. L.E. Ashenhiem to investigate and make recommendations to the Government in respect of parliamentary salaries.

In the report submitted by the committee the following comments were made. "We have found the problem of determining the amount of salary which should be paid to Ministers and other office holders to be one of considerable difficulty". " the office of Prime Minister is, by any standard, one which transcends in difficulty, complexity and responsibility that of the highest paid executives in the private sector, and the other offices under consideration are in varying degrees no less arduous and demanding of time and talent than senior and highly rewarded positions in industry and commerce."

Based on these observations the committee recommended increases ranging from 66% to 144% for parliamentarians with effect. The standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives was requested to consider the proposals and to report to Parliament. The Standing Finance Committee recommended that the increases, with minor adjustments, should be implemented. This recommendation was approved by the House of Representatives in 1973. It was further decided that Cabinet Ministers should receive $1.00 per month above the salary paid to Permanent Secretaries.

Notwithstanding the decision to link the pay of the Cabinet Minister to that of the Permanent Secretary, Parliamentarians did not receive another increase in salary until 1990.

Between 1980 and 1990 two other committees were established to look at the issue of salaries for parliamentarians. Both committees recommended that formula, which sets the salary of the Cabinet Minister at $52.00 per annum above that of a Permanent Secretary, should be retained. The current relationship is:

Prime Minister 33.3% above the Cabinet Minister
Deputy Prime Minister 16.65% above the Cabinet Minister
Minister of Finance 8% above the Cabinet Minister
Cabinet Minister $52.00 p.a. above the maximum of the Permanent Secretary scale
Minister of State 12.5% below the Cabinet Minister
Speaker of the House
Leader of the Opposition
Parliamentary Secretary 25% below the Cabinet Minister
Deputy Speaker
Other Members of Parliament 37.5% below the Cabinet Minister