MP’s job should be full time

In a democracy such as ours, a representative democracy, we, the people, elect another set of people to run the affairs of TT.

Thus far, we have elected the good and the bad. The last year in particular, I have been amazed at the level of work that Members of Parliament (MPs) put in. Truly amazed. And I have read with growing admiration and interest the working of the joint select committees which hold to account the state enterprise sector and the Public Service.

And then, I read utter rubbish emanating from the SRC, that MPs who are without portfolio are not considered full time and, therefore, do not qualify for vacation leave! Which, of course, brings me to the most obvious point, and that is all MPs should be paid good salaries and receive benefits consistent with the importance of the job that they do. The SRC clearly does not consider their work important and, even more baffling, not full time, as if running the affairs of the country and the formulation of laws is not a full-time job.

I am fully aware that there is a difference between the portfolios of the Upper House and the Lower House, likewise, the differences between the those on the Government side and that of the Opposition, so at the outset let us be very clear that MPs in the lower house could never be full time, even if their only job is that of an MP. Independent senators and senators without portfolio are perhaps the most useful because they have no ministerial or other work to do save and except the work of the Parliament.

This job is not about a Friday work to be televised on the Parliament channel. It takes research, negotiation and planning to make good law and this cannot be done in one afternoon. This job is about the work of all parliamentary committees and making the Public Service accountable to the people. This job is also about the formation of legislation to curb the excesses and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of government services. And finally, the job is about hammering out ideological and party differences over legislation so that we might develop a consensus as to the development agenda for TT.

To this end, all MP’s should have offices in or close to the parliament building where the work of the Parliament could be conducted and facilitated. They should have access to research staff and any other manner of assistance necessary to do their jobs.

Apart from the standing committees there should be more ad-hoc committees on matters of national importance. For example, I suggest a committee on the recent revelations of Cambridge Analytica’s involvement in illegally obtaining data from various government ministries. It may very well turn out that our laws are inadequate and do not protect our privacy. So a committee of this nature is well placed at the level of Parliament.

The work of the Parliament is important, the SRC needs to give recognition of this fact and fix the terms and conditions of all MPs accordingly and make the Parliament where real work can be done to the benefit of all citizens.

Satu-Ann I Ramcharan, Maraval

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"MP’s job should be full time"

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