‘Parliament no place to get rich’

Recalling that Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has publicly stated there will be no pay increases for parliamentarians due to the country’s current economic circumstances, Gopee- Scoon said the Salaries Review Commission (SRC) is the body under the Constitution which deals with the terms and conditions for holders of public office, including parliamentarians.

She reminded senators that last March, the SRC hired the Haig Group as a consultant as it undertook a review of the classification of all office holders who fall under the purview of the commission.

She said the Haig Group is due to complete its work shortly and it would be best to wait until this exercise is completed.

Stating that people entering Parliament do so on the basis of public service and not profit, Gopee-Scoon admitted there was a lacuna in the law where senators who were not legislators is concerned.

While the Independent senators fall within this category, she said, and are not defined as legislators according to the law, they often perform that role in various functions.

Stating the current Independent bench comprises people from disciplines such as economics, law and energy, Gopee-Scoon said there was no doubt the Independent senators have contributed immensely to Parliament over the years.