PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson is hoping parliamentarians will be able to regain the nation's confidence in their ability to carry out their duties if they receive the increased salaries and benefits proposed by the Oliver Clarke-led Parliamentary Salaries Review Committee.
Mr. Patterson was opening debate Tuesday on a report submitted to Parliament last week by a special parliamentary group which examined the Clarke Report.
However, he also stressed that there was no intention of implementing any salary increases, approved as a result of the report, before the public sector Memorandum of Understanding comes to an end in March 2006.
The special committee had agreed with the majority of the 40 recommendations contained in the Clarke Report.
HONORARIUM TO SENATORS
Among those recommendations was the payment of a taxable honorarium to senators who currently do not receive a salary for work carried out in
the Senate.
"We certainly have, I think, an obligation to accept that senators who have to perform their duties in the Senate, who are not ministers of state, the President of that body, or the deputy president, should not be out of pocket for doing what they are expected to do," Mr. Patterson said.
The Prime Minister outlined the majority of the recommendations put forward by the Clarke Committee, including the non-payment of retroactive salaries, the need for a new parliament building and an office in each constituency for its parliamentary representative.
The debate was suspended to allow Opposition Leader Bruce Golding, who could not attend the sitting, to make his contribution next week.
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