Kamla: Give pay increases to public servants instead

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■ Anna Ramdass

anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com

OPPOSITION LEADER Kamla Persad-Bissessar says there should be no salary increases for herself, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and the President.

The former prime minister said that pay rises should instead be given to public servants.

The Salaries Review Commission (SRC) has proposed an increase in the Prime Minister's salary from $59,000 to $80,000 a month.

The 117th SRC report also recommended an increase in the Opposition Leader's salary from $29,590 to $47,500 and the President's salary from $64,270 to $73,920 tax-free.

The revised salaries, if accepted by the Cabinet, will retroactively take effect from October 1, 2020.

The issue was raised by Prof Selwyn Cudjoe at the Opposition leader's anti-crime talks at the Chaguanas Borough Corporation building on Monday.

Cudjoe criticised the proposed increases as he noted that the minimum wage is $20 ($20.50) an hour and the average person makes $3,200 per month.

'I am talking about the disparities, because if a man don't have something, he go thief,' he said.

In her address, Persad-Bissessar said that the Opposition does not have a say on this matter and ultimately it is in the hands of the Government to decide.

'That is a matter for the Government. The Opposition has no say. I said in Parliament last Friday, let the Opposition have its say; what happens? The Government has its way. That is how the Parliament works. So that is for the Government to decide where they want to go. But if it were me, I wouldn't go down that route at all,' she said.

She continued, 'What I would say is this: you see people only looking at the parliamentarians and they work hard, these guys work very hard, okay? But it also covers people like councillors; it covers all the senior public servants who work very, very hard.

'They should benefit from it. You could leave us at the top, Rowley-no, Kamla-no, the President-no, but the rest of public servants, give it to them, they deserve. But I think he (Rowley) is just feathering his nest, knowing that he is going to lose the next election, so he wants that pension money,' said Persad-Bissessar.

Crime darkness

Turning to the issue of crime, Persad-Bissessar noted that the murder figure as of Monday was 64 and this means a person is killed every 16 hours in T&T.

She said a darkness of crime has overtaken the country as she reminded people that pathologist Dr Hubert Daisley had spoken about the numbers of bodies in the morgues.

Persad-Bissessar said the anti- crime talks have been about caring and listening to the people through 'participatory democracy'.

The platform is one for anyone to contribute ideas, testimonies and solutions, she said, adding there was a need for 'changemakers' against crime.

'In other words, I'm asking on behalf of all our speakers and myself, if you heard an idea that you think can work, please share it widely,' said Persad-Bissessar.

She said in the era of the Internet, ideas can go 'viral'.

'If you heard something and you have more questions about it, please organise your cottage meetings and brainstorm about how they can work in your community, street, neighbourhood, or village. I'm asking this because we cannot cover everything here, and we will not have every answer to every problem, but we care to share ideas with each other,' she said.

SHARING A LAUGH: Former Port of Spain mayor Louis Lee Sing, from left, speaks with Prof Selwyn Cudjoe, Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and moderator Jerome Lewis at the Leader of the Opposition Anti-Crime Town Hall Meeting at the Chaguanas Borough Corporation on Monday. -Photos: ISHMAEL SALANDY

ATTENTIVE: A section of the crowd at the anti-crime talks on Monday.