‘Everybody has to work in order to get pay’

Those members of Parliament who are not sworn in or who fail to attend Parliament will not receive their salaries at the end of the month.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said he will ensure the parliamentarians’ salaries are stopped, because if people do not work, they should not be paid.{{more}}

Last Saturday, at a press conference at Democrat House, president of the New Democratic Party (NDP) Arnhim Eustace said that the seven NDP candidates who won their seats will not be sworn into office, nor will they attend Parliament.

The NDP has alleged election irregularities in the Central Leeward constituency, which was won by Sir Louis Straker of the Unity Labour Party.

The successful NDP candidates were Arnhim Eustace – East Kingstown; St Clair Leacock – Central Kingstown; Daniel Cummings – West Kingstown; Nigel Stephenson – South Leeward; Roland Matthews – North Leeward; Dr Godwin Friday – Northern Grenadines; Terrance Ollivierre – Southern Grenadines, all of whom were members of the last Parliament.

“We will not be swearing into office, neither will we go to Parliament until this matter is resolved,” Eustace stated last Saturday.

As he addressed thousands of supporters at a celebratory rally later Saturday evening, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves responded to Eustace’s assertion.

“I understand that earlier he had said that they not accepting any position. Well, if you are elected and you don’t come to Parliament, I will bring a law early so that you don’t get your salary. Everybody has to work in order to get pay,” Gonsalves stated

“…You can’t make yourself a fool and then want people to pay you and you can tell me as much as you want, that you still representing people and all that, you don’t want to swear in, you don’t want to come to Parliament and then you want the money.”

Gonsalves also called on the leaders of the NDP to stop misleading the public about the general elections.

“Leaders must be very careful not to mislead people and the NDP leadership is now misleading people.”

Since the December 9 polls, the NDP has been holding protests, contesting the validity of the result in the Central Leeward seat, which was won by the ULP, alleging irregularities.

Observer groups from the Organization of American States,CARICOM and the Commonwealth have all given the elections a clean bill of health.(CM)