And the sleaziness continue with this AUM Government of Anguilla. Now they are currently full-steam ahead to change the Legislators Pension Act 2004. Their motive is to allow the Hon. Jerome Roberts and the Hon Evan Gumbs to rob the taxpayers purse after just 5 years of failure, and/or not wait til they reached the age of 60, as enshrined by the Act - what a set of Vermin we have as a government here on Anguilla.
The laws take into account all Legislators since February 10th 1976. The Father of the Nation, the Honourable James Ronald Webster; and former Chief Minister, Sir Emile R. Gumbs et al. All receive their pensions under the same legal provisions - still Haydn Hughes had the heart to say in the AUM's public meeting last evening that Mr. Websters spent his monies on Anguilla and receives nothing, and that they will do something about that, by changing the legislation... to incorporate Jerome and Evan exit at the polls. Sleazy?
The circumstances under which a pension shall be paid is clearly outlined in Section-4 of the Act as follows:
The person has
a) served as a legislator for not less than ten year;
b) has ceased to be a legislator;
c) has attained the age of 55 years if he was a legislator before the act came into operation and 60 years after the act came into operation;
d) not having attained the retirement of 55 or 60 becomes medically boarded and unable to discharge the duties of a legislator or any other gainful employment.
Section-6 states:
A pension payable under this Act shall, if the person in receipt thereof again becomes a legislator, cease to be payable during the period in respect of which that person is in receipt of an allowance as a legislator, but if the amount of such basic allowance is less than the amount of pension, the higher amount is payable.
So when you hear such empty asses on the platform on this issue, please read Legislators Pension Act 2004, and confirmed what happens after MrVictor Franklin Banks is reelected - "It's all about you, Anguilla."
For the wanna-be politician, Mr. Elkin Richarson, we know that if you could've read and/or understand, such knowledge still wouldn't paint the desired picture of a greedy "Slick-Vic" coming up with a scheme to receive both payments. And while they were on their feet last evening, they could also have taken the opportunity to speak about “golden handshakes”; renunciation payout; bonuses; sweet-deals; perks; and the “redundancy packages.”
We here at Anguilla-England Relation are keeping a close eye on the ground...
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ExCo Meeting of 2 January 2015
ReplyDeleteEX MIN 15/02
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE LEGISLATORS PENSIONS ACT 2010
Council noted the Ministerial proposal to amend the Legislators Pensions Act 2010 to remove the phrase “and has attained the age of 55 years or 60 years, as the case may be,” from section 7(1).
This would have the effect of making legislators who have served less than ten years eligible for a gratuity on ceasing to become a
legislator, rather than waiting to attain the age of 55 or 60 years as applicable.
Ministers noted that elected and nominated legislators are a special category of persons not employed in a normal way.
As a result, they suffered from contingencies that others did not, and were restricted in their activities in many ways because of their position.
When they demit office, they should therefore not be humiliated in a way that degrades them.
In many other Caribbean countries departing legislators were treated differently and better, and this proposed amendment would bring Anguilla into step with that.
The Governor noted that the amendment was being proposed without public consultation, as was usual for legislative changes, or the alternative of an independent committee to review and make recommendations on arrangements for legislators’ pay and pension entitlements (an approach used in many other legislatures).
The absence of ether consultation or independent advice would add to a perception that legislators were taking decisions in their own interest without recourse to the taxpayer.
Council agreed that:
(i) advice should be sought from the Attorney General’s Chambers as to any implications such a change might have on wider pensions legislation; and
(ii) the Ministry of Finance should calculate figures based on those legislators (past and present) who would be considered eligible for such payment of gratuities if the legislative change were to be made.
Council further agreed that a paper incorporating the above be submitted to Executive Council on Thursday 8 th January 2015 for further consideration.
Council authorised the issue of the action sheet before confirmation of the Minutes.
Action: AG; PS, FIN; PS, EDICT; BD