Caption: Former prime minister Stuart Young at the Word Cup Qualifier between T&T and St Kitts and Nevis at the Hasely Crawford Stadium recently
‘What we are seeking to do is to protect the revenue ultimately from a contingent liability of something like $50 million as opposed to one of let’s say $6 million’- Attorney General John Jeremie
By Sue-Ann Wayow
FORMER prime minister Stuart Young will not receive a prime minister’s pension.
The Prime Minister’s Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed in the Senate on Monday evening just before 7 pm.
Five independent senators and 15 government senators voted in favour of the Bill and there were ten abstentions – four abstentions from the independent senators and six abstentions from the opposition senators.
There was no vote outrightly “no” against the bill.
The final announcement was made by Senate President Wade Mark.
He said, “As a result of the division, twenty members voted in favour of the Bill, no members voted against the bill and there were ten abstentions. The Bill is approved!”
The Prime Minister’s Pension (Amendment) Bill needed three-fifths special majority vote from both the Lower and the Upper House.
The Bill was first introduced to the House of Representatives on June 18 by Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo.
It was passed on Friday in the Lower House with 27 “yes” from the government’s side and similarly, 11 “abstain” from the opposition’s side.
Young, the Member of Parliament for Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West had declined from attending Friday’s sitting.
Clause 2 of the Bill stipulates that it shall come into force on the 10th day of March, 2025, thereby giving it retroactive effect.
This was a clause that seemed problematic during the debate and deliberations in the Senate.
Young officially became prime minister on March 17 and served until April 28. He was Trinidad and Tobago’s eight prime minister and remains the youngest to date both in age and in tenure.
The Bill was put forward in the Senate by Minister of Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development and Minister in the Ministry of Finance Kennedy Swaratsingh.
In wrapping up the debate, Swaratsingh agreed with statements made earlier during the debate, in particular, one made by Independent Senator Deoroop Teemul.
He said, which Swaratsingh repeated, “Public reward, must reflect public responsibility.”
Swaratsingh urged, “We are asking all senators to have the courage of conviction to stand with the government in support of this legislation.”
The Bill seeks to amend the Prime Minister’s Pension Act, Chap. 2:51 to require a person to serve at least one year as Prime Minister in order to qualify for a Prime Minister’s pension.
Independent senator Dr Desirée Murray had proposed that Clause 2 be deleted because it could be perceived as being ad hominem meaning directed to one particular individual.
“We don’t agree although we appreciate the spirit behind the helpful suggestion,” was the response from Attorney General John Jeremie SC.
The further proposed amendment by Dr Murray was that instead of the retroactive date of March 10, 2025 that the retroactive date should instead be to July 23, 1969 when the parent act was first made law.
She explained that that date would help with the perception of bias.
“It would then apply to all former prime ministers of the independent nation and subsequently the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Again, Jeremie said government could not take that suggestion into consideration.
A vote was then taken to decide Dr Murray’s proposal be included in an amended Clause 2.
All government senators voted no, all opposition senators voted yes, and there were two abstentions which broke down to 18 senators voting against and 10 senators voting for and therefore the amendment was not carried.
Independent senators Anthony Vieira and Candice Jones-Simmons abstained, Francis Lewis voted yes along with Dr Murray, Courtney Mc Nish and Zola Phillips.
Jeremie also said during the deliberations, “If someone was serving in the Office for less than a year, in March, that person would be entitled under the Retiring Legislative Allowances Act to a healthy sum of money and there is no prejudice that is being created in any one individual.”
He also said, “What we are seeking to do is to protect the revenue ultimately from a contingent liability of something like $50 million as opposed to one of let’s say $6 million.”
Opposition senator Foster Cummings said he understood what was trying to be done by government but questioned the tier system, what benefits would there be for some-one serving less than a year and could not continue performing duties due to illness or other medical emergency.
To that, Jeremie responded that maybe it was time to take another look at the Retiring Legislative Allowances Act so that the focus was not just on prime ministers.
The tier proposed system states:
· One year of service: the person is entitled to one-third of the highest annual salary received while in office.
· Two years of service: entitled to half of the highest annual salary.
· Three years of service: entitled to two-thirds of highest annual salary.
· Four years or more: entitled to the full amount of the highest annual salary.
The Prime Minister’s Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2025 is the third law since the United National Congress (UNC) took office in May to be passed in the Senate following last week’s Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Act (TTRA).
Over the weekend, the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority (Repeal) Bill 2025 was passed in the Senate.
Last week, the Children’s Life Fund (Amendment) Act was passed in the Senate.
