GOVERNMENT MPs have no views to express at this time about salary increases recommended by the Salaries Review Commission (SRC) in its 120th report.
At a news conference on November 24, Princes Town MP Barry Padarath and Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh said the opposition rejected the recommendations in the report.
Padarath then called on the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Colm Imbert to state their positions on the report.
Imbert laid the report in the House of Representatives on November 15.
None of the recommendations contained in the report have been implemented as yet. For that to happen, government must bring a motion to the House to have the report debated and approved.
A motion to approve the report is currently before the House but it has not yet been debated.
In a WhatsApp comment on November 25, Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales said, "Regarding the report, this matter has not been discussed and therefore, I am not in a position to make a comment.
Gonzales, who is also Lopinot/Bon Air West MP, found it interesting that Padarath was one of the opposition's members outlining its position on the SRC report.
He said Padarath could have used the opportunity on November 24 to update the public on the status of a police investigation which began in 2020 into a bank account where funds could not be accounted for.
At that time, Padarath dismissed the matter as an attempt by the PNM to distract him from winning his constituency in that year's general election. He said the matter was in the hands of his attorneys.
Gonzales questioned Padarath's duties to former prime minister (now Opposition Leader) Kamla Persad-Bissessar while the former UNC-led People's Partnership (PP) government was in office from May 2010-September 2015.
Padarath worked in the Office of the Prime Minister during that time.
Gonzales also said claims of corruption made against the PP during its tenure in office, suggest UNC members might not need increases.
"Do you really think they will want an increase in their salaries? Perhaps they never spent their salaries?"
Point Fortin MP Kennedy Richards said, "I prefer to stay out of the SRC report but I am here to work and ensure that Point Fortin has proper representation."
Two other government MPs commented, on condition of anonymity."
The first MP said, " I have no clue what is going to happen."
The second MP said, "I prefer not to speak on this."
Government has the option to accept all of the SRC's recommendations, reject all, accept some and reject others, or instruct the SRC to do another report which it finds acceptable.
In its 120th report, the SRC recommended increases to the salaries of 98.32 per cent of the offices that fall under its purview.
[caption id="attachment_1122803" align="alignnone" width="783"] Barry Padarath -[/caption]
In recommending those increases, the commission set aside proposed salary increases for several public officials which were outlined in its 117th report, which was laid in the House in February.
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