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DH | MPs salary cut motion deferred

HomeMediaDH | MPs salary cut motion deferred
Wycliffe Smith

PHILIPSBURG–Members of Parliament (MPs) did not have to vote on a fifteen per cent cut to their salaries as proposed by St. Maarten Christian Party MP Wycliffe Smith. His motion was deferred until a future meeting to allow Parliament time to review proposed cost-cutting measures from Government.

United Democrats MP Franklin Meyers requested that Parliament defer the voting on the motion onto which he and MP Sidharth “Cookie” Bijlani signed. He said MPs should have the chance look at the motion together with the package of cuts.

Meyers’ proposal to defer was accepted by Parliament.

Smith tabled the motion on Tuesday at the start of the second day of the plenary session on the now-passed 2018 budget. He described it as a way for MPs to show the population, still recovering from the ravages of Hurricane Irma, that they too were “tightening their belts.”

He said MPs’ salaries were “much higher than most people’s” and the 15 per cent cut was “a structural way to show support” and let the population know their elected representatives empathised with them.

“By surrendering a portion of our salary, we will show the people their elected officials really care,” said Smith, adding that this move would illustrate MPs are “not only talk, but action.”

When Smith tabled his motion he needed at least two other MPs to affix their signatures to make motion viable. MPs Meyers, Bijlani and Dr. Luc Mercelina of United Democrats, SMCP’s coalition partner, answered his call.

Even if the motion had passed on Tuesday, the salary cut would not have become an immediate reality. MPs’ salaries are governed by existing laws, which requires Parliament to effect changes.

The motion called on Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin to prepare legislation within 60 days to make the salary cut a reality. Law amendments are needed to axe salaries. Romeo-Marlin, asked by opposition MPs to explain the process to change a law, said it would take time to go through the legislative process. However, she added that Parliament could take up the proposal as an initiative draft law to cut its own salary if it wanted to do so.

Bron: Daily herald

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1 reactie

  1. MP’s and showing solidarity with the common people ?
    In a normal society that would be the case, but all of these people are just there on behalf of their own wallet, they are only interested in money, nothing else.

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