- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 05:26

Timely PM pension bill

THE EDITOR: From reports in the public domain it seems that the only opposition to the Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was that it targeted Stuart Young. If that were truly so, shouldn’t there have been a sunset clause? Instead it is now the law and would determine the pensions of future prime ministers. This amendment is timely because of what could have happened under the former law. Imagine this: PNM members of Parliament regain their strength after Stuart Young’s appointment and write to the President that they no longer support him as their leader. Instead, they recognise Pennelope Beckles as their leader. She would then be appointed prime minister. And suppose something unfortunate befell her and she withdrew after a month and Colm Imbert became PM before the general election. The law would have provided in this scenario for four people to get the full prime minister’s pension. Using the Rowley-PNM approach to fill the position of prime minister, a party in power could have easily switched around all its MPs to be prime minister for a month. They would all qualify for the prime minister pension. It may be unthinkable but no one knows what the future holds. If the law provided for this, the opposition and the population would be helpless. Thanks to the independent senators who supported the amendment. They don’t represent a political party, they represent the spirit of the people. Thank you. On the issue of the retroactivity of the amendment, it should have been retroactive in 1976 when we got the Republican Constitution. GANESH BIDHESI via e-mail The post Timely PM pension bill appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.