Moonilal: Change prime ministers' pension laws

INCUMBENT Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal is calling on the UNC's lawyers to do their research on changing the law that gives a prime minister who has demitted office a pension – equivalent of one month's salary – for the rest of their lives, regardless of how long they served in that position.

He was speaking at a UNC pavement report in Tunapuna on March 20.

“Tonight, I want to call on all the great lawyers, the brilliant lawyers on the UNC bench and others, allyuh start devising some legislative changes to deal with that one.

“That is a travesty of democracy and justice and we must deal with it. You cannot have that,” he said in reference to Prime Minister Stuart Young, who is entitled to a pension of $87,000 a month for the rest of his life by succeeding former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley.

This in spite of Young dissolving the Parliament and calling the election less than 48 hours after a swearing-in ceremony by President Christine Kangaloo.

Moonilal said Young's government "collapsed" within 24 hours of being appointed.

“They imploded in 24 hours. He swear in on Monday and swear out on Tuesday. This is the first man that would be Prime Minister of this country who would not see inside the Parliament as a prime minister.”

Pointing out that official photographs are usually placed at government offices and public spaces, Moonilal noted the airport is one such place where the photos of all prime ministers hang and the date of service is documented.

“What would they put under Young’s photograph – Prime Minister from March 2025 to April 2025?

“But Rowley put him there, Rowley did not have the mouth to call election. He wanted to give Stuart Young $87,000 a month for the rest of his life, so Rowley could not wait six weeks to call the election.

“He put Stuart Young there when you couldn’t get a food card, when you couldn’t get a hamper.

“When you lost your job, you could not provide books for your children, Young gone with $87,000 a month."

Moonilal said newly-appointed Finance Minister Vishnu Dhanpaul would be the first person in that office to "never deliver a budget speech in the Parliament.

“This is the joke they have put us through.

“Stuart Young cannot run the country for 24 hours and now he coming to tell you give him five years. They have collapsed. Everyday his army is being depleted.

He said Young's cabinet is "split" and cannot manage the affairs of the country.

"Parliament dissolved but even before it was dissolved, Parliament has not been meeting. We last met on February 6 and before that in January and only to do emergency issues, the state of emergency and the appointment of a Commissioner of Police.

“They have no agenda, no policy, no programme, no legislation to take to the people. This is a new Prime Minister you would think would come and saw we have new legislation, fresh policies.

“They have nothing.”

Moonilal also questioned the appointment of the head of the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) former police officer Arthur Barrington, when the parliament is dissolved and an election is pending.

He recalled Barrington and Defence Force commander Hayden Pritchard were put in charge of a report on the issuance of firearms. He said Barrington alone signed off on that report.

"Arthur Barrington alone signed the report that led to the undermining of the Police Service Commission, the commissioner of police and the TT Police Service. That did damage to three major institutions."

He said Barrington's appointment to the SSA was a "reward" for his report.

"He is now in charge of spying, listening to your conversation, intercepting emails and texts and so on.

“They are desperate, but the writing is on the wall, they would lose the election."