The Labour Party has described the government's decision three years ago to deny the opposition leader an increase in the duty allowance awarded to Cabinet members as " downright malicious".

"Joseph Muscat is not after the money, but the double-standards which Lawrence Gonzi is showing epitomises arrogance in its worst form," a spokesman for Dr Muscat said in reaction to a story in The Times yesterday which outlined, for the first time, the full extent of the pay rises given to ministers.

Without so much as a public announcement, the Cabinet in 2008 had raised the duty allowance by some €6,000 a year for ministers, parliamentary secretaries and the then Speaker, Louis Galea.

The opposition leader was to receive the increased allowance as well but he never did because the new system was immediately implemented only for Cabinet members and the Speaker.

"The latest revelations... confirm that government's intentions were not just hidden from the public but also downright malicious," the spokesman said.

He added that the government adopted one standard for the " Prime Minister and the few families in his Cabinet" and another for the rest of the country.

"Far from being case closed, the case is wide open," the spokesman said without specifying what action Dr Muscat was contemplating.

The government has consistently failed to give a clear and full picture of the increases awarded to Cabinet members in 2008. The controversy which erupted late last year focused on the decision to give ministers a " double pay" by allowing them to also receive their honoraria as MPs.

However, a detailed analysis carried out by this newspaper has shown that, apart from the honoraria issue, Cabinet members were also awarded higher salaries and a substantial increase in their duty allowance.

This means that ministers today are receiving just under €500 per week more than what they got before the Cabinet decision in May 2008.

The opposition leader was also entitled to his MP's honorarium, apart from his salary, and a higher duty allowance. However, he never received these additional payments and when the controversy erupted Dr Muscat had pledged to forward the money to a charitable fund set up by the party.

see also

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110506/local/ministers-got-extra-raise-of-6-000.363875

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