Rowley: No pay hike for MPs, ministers

Otherwise he welcomed the population’s verdict that his Government is honest, as it marked its first anniversary in office yesterday.

“I don’t want the population’s sentiment to be that this is a corrupt Government. You have to enforce accountability, or else it turns into a free-forall.” He lamented that based on TT’s extremely poor track record in punishing white-collar criminals, some people could soon think they are immune from the law. The police, Judiciary and Government must each play their role to prevent such a case, he urged. Rowley said the fact of investigations that seem to never conclude is having a debilitating effect on the country, instilling a feeling in the population that nothing will happen to hold wrongdoers accountable. A society with no consequences will encourage wrongdoers, he warned.

“This country needs a stocktaking,” Rowley said. “This Government will call people to account.” Regarding homicides, he urged better detection and conviction rates, and opined that the penalty for murder right now is just where it should be, alluding to support for the death penalty.