The House of Assembly (HOA) has defended its decision to increase salaries for legislators, following criticism in the Auditor General’s report on the 2024 adjustments. “There was no secrecy surrounding the adjustments to Members’ compensation,” the statement explained. House explanationIn its defence, the House argued that legislators had not received a pay rise since 1995, unlike public servants who benefit from periodic increments. According to the statement, “the adjustment appears large when expressed as a percentage increase because Members’ base salaries had remained unchanged since 1995”. Instead, Members opted for the maximum, raising their total emoluments from $681,000 to $1.49 million – a 119 percent increase.