Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says he will refer to the Standing Orders Committee of the House of Assembly for its consideration and submission, a request by former and current parliamentarians to adjust the commencement of the payment of parliamentarians’ salaries after a general election.
Skerrit said in parliament earlier this week, that Former Prime Minister of Dominica Edison James and Former MP of Roseau Central Norris Prevost Parliamentary Representatives for the Salisbury Constituency, Hector John and Roseau North MP, Danny Lugay made inquiries that regard to both the Clerk of the House and the speaker of the House of Assembly.
According to the Prime Minister, the parliamentarians are claiming that their salaries should be paid from the day after the polls as opposed to the day on which the oath of allegiance is taken.
“I move that the issue of the commencement of the payment of salaries to elected members of the House of Assembly and senators be referred to the Standing Orders Committee for its consideration and submission to this honourable house,” he said.
Skerrit said under the standing orders, the committee that is charged with that responsibility will be the Standing Orders Committee, because an amendment would have to be made to the standing orders.
He added that the Committee is free to invite anybody they wish, to contribute to the discussion.
The Prime Minister explained that in the case of Mr. James, a claim was being made “way back to 1990” when the former prime minister entered parliament.
“If the clerk of the House and the Speaker would have taken that decision, then you would understand you would have opened a Pandora’s box and then there would be a serious complication of the system, because every parliamentarian from 1978 would have to be dealt with in terms of their salary, in terms of their gratuity, in terms of their pension,” he pointed out.
The Prime Minister says he believes that the “clinical way” to deal with this matter is to start now, going forward rather than going backwards beginning with the day after the polls for elected members of parliament and in the case of a senator, the day after the person got appointed.
“So there is some little back pay, some reimbursements for some, a little stimulus for some in this Covid period…This is before Parliament for its determination,” Skerrit stated.
He cautioned against going beyond the 10th Parliament.
“We have to ensure that decisions that we make have to be for the orderly conduct of the proceedings of the house and that whatever decisions we take, especially if we are going to go back to the 9th Parliament or the 8th Parliament or the 7th Parliament that they will be inherent implications and that no matter where you stop somebody is going to feel that you have discriminated against them,” he remarked.
He added, “And it doesn’t appear to be partisan in nature.”
However, Parliamentary Representative for the Mahaut Constituency, Rayburn Blackmoore, criticized the opposition’s suggestion.
“The members on the other side who have said consistently that the country is broke, there is no money, suddenly, the country has money…These guys don’t want to work; it’s just take and take and take…,” Blackmoore remarked and asked, “No money, the country is broke but you want to go back 20 years to get money from the public’s purse?””
Dominica News Online (DNO) has sought comment from Prevost and James on the matter. Prevost has declined to comment at this stage and we hope to hear from the former prime minister in a subsequent story.
Skerro, I have been cautioning you for a long time now yet you choose to pay no heed. Sir, please control the smallest organ in your body: the TONGUE 😛👅!! It will soon get you in DEEP trouble.
You said that the request was from PARLIAMENTARIANS, but you make reference ONLY to those of the OPPOSITION. If they were the only ones, then simply say so. Why run the risk of confusing the nation?? Or are there some on the GOVERNMENT side??
Secondly, you said that the best way to deal with the request was to let the Standing Orders Committee handle the matter; so why didn’t you stop there? Are your further pronouncements intended to influence the decision of same??
There’s no need to worry about the customary violent outbursts of Moreblack. His statements are not merely unacceptable, they’re dangerous nonsense!!
Sir, I advise you, for what it is worth, to tred carefully.
Please remember Rehoboam!!!
HOTEP!
“Man Bites Dogs”..whooaa your stain blind Thoughts in all your fake Commentaries is without any manner of devorum. What happen, your failed immnature Skerrit has nothing of substance to tell you or guide you to Labour’s Hell!?? Well it’s pretty obvious this is where it is. Go clean you backyard, and stop buying your dirty Labour Dogs. Woof woof. Skerrit is able to help you? I wonder what on earth he has to say to be able to elevate you to higher Political standards, muchless for himself. Shame?
‘Man Bites his own Dog’, be advised that: your Failed Incompetent visionless Skerrit and his surrounding Scouts are taking your Failed Skerrit nowhere. Man Biting Dogs, Our prestigious distinguished experienced commited trusted competent Leader Dame Eugenia Charles has been this formidable decent trusted committed woman. There’s no way Your failed incompetent Questionable inmature Skerrit can be compared in anyway with incoming PM Hon.LINTON & our visionary, dedicated committed UWP…
Man Bites Dogs, whoooooaaa, well you can pen some illiterate, non intelectual substance that makes no sense but Nonsensical thoughts we try reading that makes no sense in and your thoughts are all over the place.
For you blind fake stuff. If you have idiotically thoughts then go ahead and jump Over your precipice and tell us what the hell is it above. We don’t get any meaningful thoughts nor visionary thoughts coming from you. We have no idea where you stand with meaningful thoughts nor advice that this fake Labour, Prime Minister government of yours is able to achieve. There are too many Bobolistic Red devious illiterate Behaviour coming out of this Labour government. This Labour Government is visionless Incompetent and has failed and disrupted the thoughts of our people to be informed logically of the upgrading of our Dominica and it’s possible Development. With Skerrit coming into our government as this obvious Immature visionless Incompetent PRIME MINISTER!? What Calamity…
Man Bites Dogs with Fleas, my people please advise this Blind Man who eats Dogs to go barking Woof woof woof elsewhere and enjoy your fake self. We have absolutely no interest in your weird thoughts and politically illiterate dumbfounded stupidity thoughts. Keep on barking “woof, woof, woof” and tell us as you bark hypocritical woof woof noise for your Skerrit, tell us exactly what really is it you are saying to your failed incompetent Questionable inmature Skerrit. What on earth are you saying or trying to say. Question him on where is any Development taking place in our ailing, poverty, Dominica, created by this Fake Labour party Government under its Useless DLP Prime Odd Minister and his blind DLP failed incompetent, visionless Incompetent Labour government.
Our government, our Dominica needs mature visionary political Leadership and intelectual visionary people to elevate our people and our Dominica to that level of decency, respect and Meaningful Development.DLP Get Hell Out…
Has Edison fallen on hard times?
One would think these parliamentarians are paid based on the work they perform. Surely they would not have performed any work until they are sworn in as parliamentarians. It is no different from getting a job offer and getting paid from the day you start work. You do not get paid the day after the offer is made.
It looks like these guys are more interested in the perks of the job than the job of serving the public.
Pm please tell Edison James, Lennox Linton, and his Gangsta flies to take a jump over the highest precipice in Dominica, enough is enough. I said before if we give the bus and taxi drivers any money the government will open a can of worms and so it is written and so it is done, UWP is trying their luck and again who can blame them. Dame Mary Eugenia Charles, must be turning in her grave for sure if she was with us today Lennox Linton, Edison James, Brian Linton, Danny Lugay,, would be seating in jail today, eating dry bread and hot water.
PM, please advise this man Dog 🐶🐕 of yours who seems to be this Man Barking Nonsensical ridiculous thoughts disturbing our peaceful neighborhood ranking and raving evil thoughts about nothing. You need to get this clown🤡 out of the environment before he ends up in the psychiatric Unit. Get him off to school 🏫 or to some college, obviously at your expense that this hypocritical behaviour is inhuman and Goes against the Rights of an established citizen of the USA.
Don’t get our distinguished experienced commited Honourables Edison James and Lennox Linton into your nonesensical thoughts. These are honest, dedicated, honourable gentlemen to be respected at all times. They came from a long way and has served our Dominica and our people exceptionally well.
They deserved to be respected.
Keep up the good work and continue to advice us on matters of Good Governance and decency in politics and government. Our people needs to be well advised. Thanks👍Hon LINTON and Hon. Eddison be James.
Man Bites Dogs woof woof woof. Man stop wagging that short tail of yours. Woof…Woof. So we advise you to step up and begin to try to be this intellectual. If you wish to blindly follow and support this Failed incompetent Labour Government, my strong advise to you is to “Big Up Yourself……and go to a school 🏫 or by College that you elevate yourself to that standard of eloquent, Political Science and Decency that you are able to comment politely, politically and Professionally. We will appeal to you to elevate yourselves if you wish to be in politics and in government. OUR DOMINICAN People & villages need accommodating to elevate themselves and be active in observing the poverty of our people, their families and overall our aching disaster Dominica’ created by Skerrit’s failed leadership, visionless Immature Incompetent Labour Party Government and its incompetent Questionable inmature failed Labour Leader who has failed us as Prime Minister. DLP OUT..UWP IN.
Hon LINTON Our PM.
Skerrit says that the matter doesn’t appear to be partisan……yet one of his senior ministers, Blackmore, sees it fit to criticize de opposition. No humility… a measure that will affect all members of the parliament including senators.
So why Blackmore doh just tell Skerrit off? I wonder what else he disagree with Skerrit on!
Blackmore crooked wisdom along with his cabinet colleagues took a decision to make a $63,000 rental agreement for Skerrit….on de tax payers back during covid-19 economic slowdown of de economy.
Up to now our economy creeping along.
De amount of perks and privilege Blackmore and the like have been enjoying, salivating for 20 years!!!!
But I don’t think all you camp happy!
Enjoy in sweet sorrow!!!!