Caption: Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh. Photo: T&T Parliament
THE OPPOSITION United National Congress (UNC) has rejected the Salaries Review Commission’s (SRC) proposed salary increases for politicians.
MPs for Princes Town Barry Padarath and Couva South Rudranath Indarsingh have called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Finance Minister Colm Imbert to clarify the government’s position on the SRC report. Both MPs criticised the proposed salary hike, especially the increase for the prime minister at the weekly press conference on Sunday.
The SRC recommended raising the prime minister’s salary from the current $59,680, set in 2013, to $87,847 by October 2023. The report, presented to Parliament on November 15, also suggested increases for other key political and public service roles.
Padarath said, “We reject it! Why is the Government so silent on the SRC report?”
He said, “The reason why they continue to remain so silent is that they know their polling is showing them, and their public relations handlers are telling them that their deceit and their corruption is fuelling their greed for back pay and higher salary rates in this country, while you are telling public servants to hold strain until 2027.”
Indarsingh added that the current economic climate is not suitable for such increases, highlighting public hardships.
Despite the report being laid in Parliament ten days ago, the government has yet to disclose its stance.
The SRC report has sparked wider discontent, with unions demanding wage increases for public servants. Indarsingh insisted that the prime minister owes an explanation to these workers, questioning whether they will receive back pay before Christmas or the upcoming general election.
The proposed salary adjustments could result in over $150 million in back pay for politicians, including $1.1 million for the Prime Minister and $960,700 for Persad-Bissessar.
