PNM in Gov't (2020-2025)

[pugboy]

secured it for the country and the peeple

Allyuh like allyuh just don’t understand that the PNM supporters LOVE Rowley…

PNM victory is too sweet and he isn’t going to let anyone have what he can easily get.

He will eventually step down but not until he secures the next election so that he can say that HE, the head ni99er, did it.

[unimatrix-001]

Next elections he go finish what Manning start...executive presidency. He guh step down as PM, only to rise as president
(https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2. ... 529daf72f4)

[death365]

saw this ... it belongs here (person 100% serious too)

THE EDITOR: Prime Minister Rowley is on his way out. Well, sooner or later by his pronouncements at the recent reopening of Balisier House.

Veni, vidi, vici. He came, he saw, he conquered. Up to his retirement Dr Rowley will remain my all-time number one prime minister of TT, dollar for dollar, pound for pound, above all others, including our esteemed Dr Eric Eustace Williams.

Rowley's ability to keep this fragile, racially and socially divided, morally decayed and bereft of political integrity, economically bankrupt nation he inherited from imploding would always be to his credit.

His astute leadership and resilience in the face of the unprecedented covid19 pandemic and the political tributaries which flowed from it testify of the mettle of the man – country first.

I will not speak to the attacks on his character.

There is a man for all seasons and for me Rowley was the right leader at the right time.

As he makes his way out of the political arena, in accordance with Haggai 2-9 it is my prayer that his latter house will be greater than the former and in it he will find peace.

ANN MARIE DAVIDSON

San Fernando

https://newsday.co.tt/2024/01/30/rowley-my-all-time-no-1-pm/

[wing]

TOP STORY

‘$80,000 per month for PM’

Rowley, Kamla to get salary hike, backpay if SRC report accepted...

Ria Taitt

 

3 hrs ago

 

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 5 min to read

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Ria Taitt

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report tabled in house: Finance Minister Colm Imbert, second from left, lays the report of the Salaries Review Commission at yesterday’s sitting of Parliament. Flanking him are Housing Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, from right, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Energy Minister Stuart Young and National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds. —Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK

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The Prime Minister’s salary is due to take a huge leap once the recommendations of the Salaries Review Commission (SRC) made in its 117th report obtains the approval of the Cabinet.

The report was tabled in the House of Representatives, at the Red House, Port of Spain, yesterday.

The Prime Minister’s salary will move from $59,680 per month to $80,000 per month.

This jump is diminished by the fact that the SRC has removed the duty allowance formerly received by a Prime Minister of $8,680, so the effective increase is in the vicinity of $11,640 per month.

The Prime Minister’s entire re­mu­­neration package is subject to tax.

But no other office-holder under the purview of the SRC received such a generous increase.

This increase would also benefit the current Leader of the Opposition who, as the only surviving former prime minister, is entitled to the full prime ministerial salary as a pension, subject to tax.

Both Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Leader of Opposition Kamla Persad-Bissessar, as other political office-holders, will receive backpay since the new salary increases take effect—for the Prime Minister, Members of Parliament, and the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA)—from October 1, 2020.

For all other offices under its purview, the SRC recommended that the new compensation packa­ges take effect from April 1, 2020.

The SRC has recommended that the President’s salary moves from a monthly salary of $64,270 to $73,920 tax-free.

However, because the duty allowance of $9,650 per month has been removed, the President’s total remuneration remains effectively unchanged.

Overseas travel facilities remain the same for the President, whose salary, pension and any other allow­ances remain exempt from taxation.

This is the first time the Prime Minister’s salary exceeds that of the President, though his net package will be less because a prime minister’s salary and allowances are subject to tax while a President’s are not.

MPs get small increases

Among those who are recommended for some of the lowest increases are Members of the House of Representatives (other than ministers and parliamentary secretaries) whose salaries are recommended to move from $17,410 to $20,668.

Their transportation allowance has been reduced slightly—from $4,920 to $4,560.

Even less of an increase is proposed for members of the Senate (other than ministers and par­lia­men­­tary secretaries) whose salaries would move from $13,060 to $15,500 per month if the recommendations of the SRC are accep­ted.

The transportation allowance remains at $4,560 per month.

The tax exemptions (from motor vehicle tax, value added tax and Customs duty) on motor vehicles purchased by all office-holders under the SRC remain intact.

These include all members of Parliament, members of the Judiciary, the higher offices of the protective service and other top public servants.

The SRC has recommended that the President of the Senate’s salary be increased from $29,590 to $39,300 while the Speaker of the House’s salary should move from $29,590 to $42,500.

The SRC recommends that both the President of the Senate and the House Speaker retain their housing allowance of $12,360.

The SRC recommends that ministers also retain their housing allowance of $12,360.

The SRC recommended that ministers of Government who are members of the Cabinet receive a salary hike from $41,030 to $47,500 while non-Cabinet ministers receive an increase from $33,940 to $39,300.

For the Leader of the Opposition, the SRC has recommended a salary increase from $29,590 to $47,500, with the housing allowance remaining the same at $12,360 per month.

The SRC recommended that the salary of the Vice-President of the Senate and Deputy Speaker of the House be increased from $18,280 to $23,268 per month, and a transportation allowance of $4,560 per month be retained.

THA increases

The SRC has recommended that the salary of the THA Chief Secretary be increased from $41,030 to $47,500 and a transportation allowance of $6,660 per month.

Deputy Chief Secretary—from $25,240 to $37,000, plus the retention of transportation allowance of $5,040 and the retention of a hou­sing allowance of $7,740; with a Secretary from $24,370 to $34,900, plus a transportation allowance of $4,920 per month and the retention of the housing allowance of $7,740; and an Assistant Secretary of $31,000, the retention of a transportation allowance of $4,920 per month and the retention of a hou­sing allowance of $4,920 monthly.

The SRC recommended that the salary of the Minority Leader in the THA be increased from $16,540 to $26,201 per month and the retention of transportation allowance of $4,560.

The SRC recommended that the salary of an assemblyman other than the holder of another office be increased from $11,320 to $14,600 per month.

The SRC’s recommendation for the salaries of the Chief of Defence Staff and the Commissioner of Police is that it should move from $31,080 per month to $39,300 per month.

The SRC has removed the duty allowance of $3,110 but has given them a service allowance of $5,050. A housing allowance of $7,740 remains intact and a transportation allowance of $4,200.

The SRC recommended that the salaries of the Commissioner of Prisons and Chief Fire Officer move from $28,720 to $36,400 per month, plus a transportation allowance of $3,900.

The duty allowance of $2,880 has been discontinued and a service allowance of $5,050 has been recommended.

The housing allowance of $7,740 remains intact.

No increase from CJ,

Justices of Appeal and

puisne judges

The SRC has recommended that the salaries of the Chief Justice, justices of Appeal and puisne judges remain at their current levels of $50,350; $42,020 and $37,300 tax-free, respectively.

The SRC has also recommended no increases in transportation ($5,050 in the case of the CJ and $4,560 for justices of the Appeal and puisne judges) and hou­sing allowances (which are $28,000 in the case of the CJ and $24,000 in the case of justices of Appeal and puisne judges), which are free of tax and remain at their current levels—transportation allowances remaining at $5,040; $4,560 and $4,560, respectively.

All their salaries and allowances also remain tax-free.

Master of the High Court—$34,000 per month, plus a professional allowance of $4,400 per month and a service allowance of $5,050 per month.

Chief Magistrate—$37,450 per month, professional allowance of $4,400 per month, housing allowance of $7,740 per month; senior magistrate—$32,400 per month, a professional allowance of $3,200 per month, service allowance of $5,050 per month and housing allowance of $7,740 per month.

A special allowance for magistrates assigned for duty in the districts of Mayaro, Rio Claro, Princes Town, Siparia and Point Fortin of $1,840 per month is recommended.

Magistrate—$30,900 per month, $3,000 professional allowance, service allowance of $5,050 and special allowance for those assigned in districts of Mayaro, Rio Claro, Princes Town, Siparia and Point Fortin of $1,840 per month.

A housing allowance of $7,740 per month is recommended.

Local government

For local government officials, the SRC’s recommendations were as follows:

Mayor—Port of Spain—from $20,890 to $26,201; San Fernando—$18,280 to $23,268; Chaguanas—from $17,040 to $23,268; Arima—from $15,670 to $23,268; and Point Fortin—from $15,670 to $23,268. Chairman of a regional corporation—$15,670 to $23,383.

They all get full exemptions from Customs duty, special motor vehicle tax and VAT for vehicles purchased, plus a transportation allowance of $3,900 per month and subsistence allowance of $1,050 per month.

Deputy mayors—Port of Spain—from $10,450 to $10,900; San Fernando—from $9,080 to $10,450; Chaguanas—from $8,580 to $10,450; Arima—from $7,840 to $10,450, and Point Fortin—from $7,840 to $10,332; aldermen and councillors in the boroughs—from $4,360 to just $5,500.

Vice-chairmen—from $7,840 to $10,230; and alderman and councillors in the regional corporations—$5,500.

The SRC has recommended that the salary of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the Solicitor General and the Chief Parliamentary Counsel be increased from $32,700 per month to $39,300 with the retention of a professional allowance of $6,250, the retention of a service allowance of $5,050, the retention of a transportation allowance of $4,200 and the retention of a housing allowance of $7,740.

For a permanent secretary, the recommendation of a salary increase from $34,400 to $39,300 has been diminished by the removal of the duty allowance of $3,400, which means that the total remuneration would move from $38,800 to just $39,300 if the SRC’s recommendation is accepted.

Imbert: Objective

assessment

In a statement to Parliament, Minister of Finance Colm Imbert said the SRC recommended in its 113th report that the existing salaries and allowances of offices within its purview be maintained for the period 2014 to 2020.

“In other words that there should be no increases in salaries and allowance for the six-year period 2014-2020,” he said.

He said the compensation recommendations of the SRC were based on the results of the Job Evaluation Exercise and the Compensation Survey “and represent an objective assessment of what holders of the offices should receive”.

He added that the SRC acknow­ledged that the Job Evaluation Exercise was substantially delayed and that it took over 14 years from the time that the cabinet agreed in June 2009 to accept the recommendations of the SRC for the conduct of a job evaluation exercise to evaluate offices under its purview and for the conduct of a compensation survey to be undertaken.

The Government may accept or reject the recommendations.

In the 1986-91 NAR (National Alliance for Reconstruction) government, the Cabinet agreed not to accept the recommendations for increases for members of the Cabinet.

In the 1991-95 Manning cabi­net, the government amended the recommendations and gave smaller increases than what was recommended for ministers of government.

The Manning government accepted increases for a subsequent SRC report. The 98th SRC report which recommended salary increa­ses was tabled in 2013 and was accepted.

This report covered the period 2011-2014.

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[Dave]

And you ask yourself where you tax dollars are going cause you not seeing it in everyday life!
Hospitals..no
Roads..no
Security..no

[wing]

Which one going to stand on principle and refuse?

[goalpost]

Wtf. Didn't realize President and CJ got tax free salaries. Papayo.

But this ridiculous though.

Also, Kamla making real dough: former PM pay and opposition pay? Papa..

[goalpost]

Nah if I was PM, MP or whatever I taking that increase. Cost of Living going up. They just hadda know they hadda settle we poor people negotations as well.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Supporters: 4%
Myself: about 11%

Allyuh continue to vote for sheit leaders

[wing]

Supporters: 4%
Myself: about 11%

Allyuh continue to vote for sheit leaders

It's the SRC that recommended, it's up to them to accept or not. Let's see who will stand up and refuse. Of course, those types of salaries are common in the private sector. There needs to be some incentive to aspire to political office outside of the bobol.

[Habit7]

Supporters: 4%
Myself: about 11%

Allyuh continue to vote for sheit leaders

I don't think you understand the process. The SRC is an independent body making recommendations for salaries for top public officials. It is up for the govt and the rest of parliament to vote and accept the recommendations or modify them down. Nobody has voted to increase their salary as yet.

That being said, anything more than giving themselves 4% will be the highest hypocrisy. We wait to see.

[wing]

Is the pension for a former PM dependent on the length of service? For example, KPB served 5 years, and KR there since 2015. I suspect that the pension remains the same, thus, opposition leader salary plus PM pension doesn't motivate someone to change anything.

[adnj]

Is the pension for a former PM dependent on the length of service? For example, KPB served 5 years, and KR there since 2015. I suspect that the pension remains the same, thus, opposition leader salary plus PM pension doesn't motivate someone to change anything.

Length of service is not a factor.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Supporters: 4%
Myself: about 11%

Allyuh continue to vote for sheit leaders

I don't think you understand the process. The SRC is an independent body making recommendations for salaries for top public officials. It is up for the govt and the rest of parliament to vote and accept the recommendations or modify them down. Nobody has voted to increase their salary as yet.

That being said, anything more than giving themselves 4% will be the highest hypocrisy. We wait to see.

Not missing anything...an entire independent body to determine salaries for a bunch of waste ah time people

But it takes one jack@## to negotiate for John public? That making sense ?

[eliteauto]

Is the pension for a former PM dependent on the length of service? For example, KPB served 5 years, and KR there since 2015. I suspect that the pension remains the same, thus, opposition leader salary plus PM pension doesn't motivate someone to change anything.

Length of service is not a factor.

Except that you must make 5 years, to qualify. That's why the PP government had a late election in 2015, made sure that the whole team is pension able on case they weren't reelected. That's why some MPs end up in the diplomatic circuit to help male up their years

[pugboy]

eg darryl smith

[Habit7]

Supporters: 4%
Myself: about 11%

Allyuh continue to vote for sheit leaders

I don't think you understand the process. The SRC is an independent body making recommendations for salaries for top public officials. It is up for the govt and the rest of parliament to vote and accept the recommendations or modify them down. Nobody has voted to increase their salary as yet.

That being said, anything more than giving themselves 4% will be the highest hypocrisy. We wait to see.

Not missing anything...an entire independent body to determine salaries for a bunch of waste ah time people

But it takes one jack@## to negotiate for John public? That making sense ?

If John Public organises a union, elects a union representative and he negotiates salaries kinda like…what exists now. Then I guess it is much more complicated and democratic than how you trying to misrepresent it to be.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Bredda man if the minister of finance already knows what he going and give people....unions could do what they want, nothing going to change...is take it or leave it as was seen with the 4%

[Habit7]

Bredda man if the minister of finance already knows what he going and give people....unions could do what they want, nothing going to change...is take it or leave it as was seen with the 4%

Kamla and Howai put down their foot in 2011 and said no more than 5% for police.
https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/ ... 6cd2e.html

Kamla and Howai caved and Police negotiated and received 9% in 2012
https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2. ... 0ba3f6ff8d

And as we all know with this and the 14% they were promised in 2015, they public overwhelmingly voted in Kamla for her 2nd term citing her excellent handling of the economy and the clear economic indicators of growth in 2015 and the years going forward.

[paid_influencer]

unions will rise again
when material conditions deteriorate
even during slavery
the workers united
it is inevitable

[Dizzy28]

eg darryl smith

His is a contract position. It's outside the SRC/Service Commission scenes.

[adnj]

Is the pension for a former PM dependent on the length of service? For example, KPB served 5 years, and KR there since 2015. I suspect that the pension remains the same, thus, opposition leader salary plus PM pension doesn't motivate someone to change anything.

Length of service is not a factor.

Except that you must make 5 years, to qualify. That's why the PP government had a late election in 2015, made sure that the whole team is pension able on case they weren't reelected. That's why some MPs end up in the diplomatic circuit to help male up their years

Then I was mistaken.

My reading indicates only a five year requirement for adjustment to the amount of the pension for the PM and any survivors, but no mention of eligibility other than payment while serving as MP.

[greggle71]

Our Politicians in general are underpaid, give them the increases but reduce that car exemption to once every 4 years. No need to change a vehicle every 2 years.

Yes public servants need to be treated better but the poor compensation packages at the top of government are also a contributor to the poor quality of persons making themselves available for office. Quality persons can easily double a government official’s compensation in the private sector

All factors are in play

[pugboy]

would a right thinking person who is not from public/govt career service be attracted to join a govt simply by equating the salaries ?

how many would want to go work for a dictator type leader and have to rub shoulders with a bunch of imps ?

Our Politicians in general are underpaid, give them the increases but reduce that car exemption to once every 4 years. No need to change a vehicle every 2 years.

Yes public servants need to be treated better but the poor compensation packages at the top of government are also a contributor to the poor quality of persons making themselves available for office. Quality persons can easily double a government official’s compensation in the private sector

All factors are in play

[greggle71]

would a right thinking person who is not from public/govt career service be attracted to join a govt simply by equating the salaries ?

how many would want to go work for a dictator type leader and have to rub shoulders with a bunch of imps ?

Our Politicians in general are underpaid, give them the increases but reduce that car exemption to once every 4 years. No need to change a vehicle every 2 years.

Yes public servants need to be treated better but the poor compensation packages at the top of government are also a contributor to the poor quality of persons making themselves available for office. Quality persons can easily double a government official’s compensation in the private sector

All factors are in play

It goes beyond equating salaries, it’s a broader level of stability of life and livelihood. I would say that, several factors are in play when it comes to such a decision. Politics simply does not lend itself to any real job security.

You basically living your life in 5 year cycles, most qualified people looking to build in life ain’t going down the political life. What’s left is what we have in front of us today.

At least making the actual compensation more attractive may shift the level of person offering themselves, ultimately they will become party hacks anyways

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Imagine this is what you boasting about

[wing]

Imagine this is what you boasting about

Normally wasa leaves something looking like a shallow grave after destroying the roadway. No wonder he boasting.

[antlind]

Imagine this is what you boasting about

Normally wasa leaves something looking like a shallow grave after destroying the roadway. No wonder he boasting.

Let’s see how long it lasts before it starts to sink and turn into a massive pothole.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

This started recirculating on social media

Story on John O’Halloran

[Dizzy28]

This started recirculating on social media

Story on John O’Halloran
117b7fd6-e354-4ece-a85c-8ffbb93a1e81.jpeg

It might as well. Last week when Mickaela said Trinidad has no money, mites were saying its because of Panday and the airport corruption. 25 years and a natural gas boom later and that is the reason the country is in trouble.

So 10% Johhny should still be fair game by that standard.