Junior Minister Arnaldo Brown racks up million dollar Phone Bill
The government of Jamaica doesn’t appear to be cutting any corners when it comes to paying phone bills for Cabinet Ministers and their juniors.
In a recent report by RJR News, the shocking cell phone bill totals for several ministers were revealed.
The information was obtained via the Access to Information legislation.
Junior Minister Arnaldo Brown’s bill was the highest at $1.09 million for a twelve month period.
His bill for the month of June only was a whopping $410,000.
Below are the reported mobile bills (between July 2013 and this year) for some of the Ministers.
Junior Minister for Foreign Affairs, Arnaldo Brown- $1,090,000
Energy Minister, Phillip Paulwell: $930,000 (with two cell phones).
Junior Minister for Energy, Julian Robinson: $76,000
Minister of Health, Dr Fenton Ferguson: $749,000
Minister of Water, Robert Pickersgill: $791,000
Junior Minister Ian Hayles- $110,000
Tourism Minister Wykeham McNeill – $500,000
Junior Minister for Tourism Damion Crawford: $364,000
Minister of Local Government, Noel Arscott: $289,000
Minister of Foreign Affairs, AJ Nicholson: $230,000
Minister of State for Local Government, Colin Fagan: $200,000 (ten months)
Minister of Youth and Culture, Lisa Hanna: $45,000
Minister of Justice, Mark Golding: No Government phone
Minister of National Security,Peter Bunting: $32,000
Is too much money being spent to pay the phone bills for our ministers? Let us know in the comments.
Source: RJR News
too much money! why is it that everybody else should conserve and they over indulge? shouldn’t they be leading by example? i believe that they should be asked to pay back for all the unnecessary calls made. their bills should be checked to see where the calls were made to and why they were made!
This is crazy, why should we have a wage restrain when the government wasting money, is that right
The phones they used are the property of the government,They are not for personal use ,All calls should be checked and where necessary ,an invoice submitted to the individuals concern,for payment within 30 days for all personal use of goverment property,and if not paid they should be arrested for ABUSING THEIR POSITION and defrauding of state,A crime that is seen as treason against the Jamaican nation.
This is crazy.
I bet if all these ministers was making the payment from their pockets none of the bills would have gotten over $15, 000. But because taxpayers money in Jamaica is free for all. This is gross the government should have the ministers pay back taxpayers money.
What do you expect from them are you not aware how many trips abroad the Prime Minister has taken since she has been in office. Yet they have the nerve to tell us to cut back and how could I forget that I have not received a wage increase since 2009. Cant even by credit to call keep off the creditors but look at their phone bills
If that was coming out of his pay I’m sure his bill would be so high , so there u have it problem solved
Well if the government is going to pay it! why not?
I dont get it.. why not ho on a CUG Line… to call government bodies.. this would be free cell to cell.. other calls that are not cellphone should have a quota. and personal calls should be banned. let them get their own phones for personal use.. d fck is Portia doing.. everyday we gotta figure out how to make ends meet and u racking up million dollar PHONE BILL… wen u have citizens not even able to feed themselves or family.. mi heart just grieve God Know.. im soo sick.. and talking is pointless we are governed by scammers,… Read more »
What are they actually doing making these phone call digicel make need to check and see if these call are helping the country in anyway or are they corrupted calls,or idle calls
That’s way too much, what about emails and Skype. We are already living in poverty we need to change our concept, all those monies can go towards fixing the roads and feeding the poor, improving our school systems. Phone calls that are legitimate are okay but for personal calls take it from their salaries…………..
IT is too much for us to pay i need the Prime Minister to take some drastic action against the minister for is bill,Prime minister i want you to investigate why is bill is more than than the Minister of security and the Minister of Health
The only sane and decent one of the bunch is Mark Golding. I say, give them all the Walmart plan, and if they use all their minutes, oh well… off until next month.
Now, who will do the checking on the legitimacy of the calls made. In Jamaica there are no checks and balances. No accountability and very little common decency. Remember Azan? . We a socialist man, just keep cool, them soon stop complain. just wait it out! We a socialist, man!!!! PM nah she nuttun, in fact, she will back yu!
The phones they used are the property of the government,They are not for personal use ,All calls should be checked and where necessary ,an invoice submitted to the individuals concern,for payment within 30 days for all personal use of goverment property,and if not paid they should be arrested for ABUSING THEIR POSITION and defrauding of state,A crime that is seen as treason against the Jamaican nation.
I bet if all these ministers was making the payment from their pockets none of the bills would have gotten over $15, 000. But because taxpayers money in Jamaica is free for all. This is gross the government should have the ministers pay back taxpayers money.
too much money! why is it that everybody else should conserve and they over indulge? shouldn’t they be leading by example? i believe that they should be asked to pay back for all the unnecessary calls made. their bills should be checked to see where the calls were made to and why they were made!
This is crazy, why should we have a wage restrain when the government wasting money, is that right
Now, who will do the checking on the legitimacy of the calls made. In Jamaica there are no checks and balances. No accountability and very little common decency. Remember Azan? . We a socialist man, just keep cool, them soon stop complain. just wait it out! We a socialist, man!!!! PM nah she nuttun, in fact, she will back yu!
I dont get it.. why not ho on a CUG Line… to call government bodies.. this would be free cell to cell.. other calls that are not cellphone should have a quota. and personal calls should be banned. let them get their own phones for personal use.. d fck is Portia doing.. everyday we gotta figure out how to make ends meet and u racking up million dollar PHONE BILL… wen u have citizens not even able to feed themselves or family.. mi heart just grieve God Know.. im soo sick.. and talking is pointless we are governed by scammers,… Read more »
That’s way too much, what about emails and Skype. We are already living in poverty we need to change our concept, all those monies can go towards fixing the roads and feeding the poor, improving our school systems. Phone calls that are legitimate are okay but for personal calls take it from their salaries…………..
What do you expect from them are you not aware how many trips abroad the Prime Minister has taken since she has been in office. Yet they have the nerve to tell us to cut back and how could I forget that I have not received a wage increase since 2009. Cant even by credit to call keep off the creditors but look at their phone bills
The only sane and decent one of the bunch is Mark Golding. I say, give them all the Walmart plan, and if they use all their minutes, oh well… off until next month.
IT is too much for us to pay i need the Prime Minister to take some drastic action against the minister for is bill,Prime minister i want you to investigate why is bill is more than than the Minister of security and the Minister of Health
What are they actually doing making these phone call digicel make need to check and see if these call are helping the country in anyway or are they corrupted calls,or idle calls
If that was coming out of his pay I’m sure his bill would be so high , so there u have it problem solved
Well if the government is going to pay it! why not?
This is crazy.