Kamla rejects salary increase for politicians; calls for judges to benefit

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is not in support of the proposed salary increase for the Prime Minister, the President, and herself “at this time.” She, however, said the 120th Salaries Review Commission report’s proposed salary hike should be given to judges and public servants. Persad-Bissessar was speaking at the United National Congress’ criminal justice reform consultation at Barataria on Monday.

The Opposition Leader noted there has been a “lot of noise” about the SRC’s report in the public domain “as it gives to the Prime Minister his highest-ever raise if he accepts it.”

The SRC’s recommendations include raising Dr Keith Rowley’s salary from $59,680 to $87,847 over three years, while Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s pay would increase from $29,590 to $52,159.

“This is the first time in the history of a country that the Prime minister—if he accepts it—will be paid more than the President. So I’m watching and waiting to see what happens. But I don’t believe the Prime Minister should get an increase at this time. I don’t believe the President should get an increase at this time.

“I don’t believe that Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the Opposition Leader, should get an increase at this time—no, no! Now isn’t the time when you’re offering people one per cent, two per cent, four per cent—it’s obscene! It’s disrespectful at this time.

She added, however, “the judges should be given the increases in the report. The public servants should be given the increases in it. They’re hard-working people, and if this is what has been assessed … But there’s something obscene for politicians to have the power to decide on their own salary increases.”

Persad-Bissessar, who said the SRC report has to come to the Parliament, added, “The Prime Minister has the majority with his MPs. Does he say yes?”

She said since the previous SRC report arose, “I’ve been saying the politicians shouldn’t be given increases at this time. But I fully agree judges should be given the increases and the public servants. I call on the Prime Minister to tell us his view on this report.” Persad-Bissessar said the UNC filed a question for him to answer in Parliament, but it was rejected.

“But everybody want to know what Kamla has to say. Well, Kamla says no to the Prime Minister, no to the President, and no to Kamla. Not at this time. We support judges getting higher salaries; they’re overworked and underpaid.”

She also hoped the report had “something” for the Director of Public Prosecutions division.

Opposition Leader to benefit–Robinson-Regis

Yesterday, PNM MP Camille Robinson-Regis, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, told Guardian Media that regardless of what Persad-Bissessar said, she would still benefit if the report becomes a reality.

Speaking at the opening of the La Horquetta Public Library, she said, “The SRC has done its work, and we have laid it in the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago. Clearly, if the results of the work that the SRC has done are made a reality, no matter if Kamla Persad says she doesn’t want the wage increase, she will get the wage increase.

“So when the SRC did its work in 2014 and they took the Government of the time, which was a UNC government, they also laid it, and they did what the SRC asked to do, but we have laid the report, and we’ll wait and see what happens.” Robinson-Regis added, “I don’t have any comments on what she has said, and I don’t think it should be politicised because it’s not just politicians whose salaries are adjusted; it is a large number of people in the public service.”

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