Mahabir: Amend MPs pension plan to include senators

“Let us amend this retirement act, not because it is the right and just thing to do,” he said, but because of the need to conform with international treaty obligations.

All senators not being part of the plan as legislators, he said, violates article C11 of the International Labour Organisation to which Trinidad and Tobago is a signatory.

Mahabir, the mover of the motion - which stated that the principle of the elimination of all forms of discrimination in the workplace was an established policy position of Government - called on Government to present the required legislative amendment to the Parliament before the end of the 2016-2017 session. Speaking to the motion in the Senate yesterday, Mahabir noted that all senators are not contributors to the MPs retirement fund.

While he has been told that he was not an MP, Mahabir argued that according to the Constitution, he was one even though he was not elected like MPs in the House of Representatives. Senators are appointed.

While the basic salary of a Cabinet minister is $41,030 a month, and the salary of a minister without Cabinet rank is $33,940, he said, the salary of a senator other than a minister and parliamentary secretary, was $13,060 a month.

Whether fair or unfair, just or unjust, he said that the Salaries Review Commission has determined a $28,000 difference between senators and a Cabinet ranked minister who has other functions apart from legislating.

While the $28,000 difference was not the issue, and while all MPs earn a salary, he said, “what we find is that all MPs do not have the right to participate in the pension plan for officers who are legislators.” The plan is a contributory one similar to the National Insurance Scheme. Members contribute on a monthly basis.

At present, some 24 members, who are not holding executive positions with Government are excluded. This includes all Opposition and Independent senators.

Based on the ILO convention, he said, exempting local legislators in the plan nullifies or impairs equality of opportunity or treatment in employment.

“Once it is accepted that legislators are entitled to a salary, there is no justification for exclusion from the pension plan,” he said.

Among those in the Senate contributing to the plan are the President of the Senate, ministers and a parliamentary secretary.

The Speaker of the House, and the Deputy Speaker, who were not elected are also included.

Mahabir said, he was aggrieved that the Vice President of the Senate was not included in the MPs pension plan. “If you have to discriminate, discriminate with style, class, panache and finesse. Do not discriminate sloppily,” he said.

If there is one person to be included, he said, it must be the office of the vice president.