MAYARO MP Rushton Paray has urged his UNC colleagues, including party leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, to use the new salaries – which they have said they will reject – from the Salaries Review Commission (SRC) to build a proper headquarters to house the party.
Addressing the post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall on November 28, the Prime Minister said Cabinet will accept the recommendations in the report.
Legal sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said none of the office-holders covered in the report can refuse the new salaries and conditions outlined in the SRC's 120th report. once the recommendations are implemented.
They added that once the office-holders receive their new salaries, they are entitled to do whatever they want with them, because "it's their salary and their choice."
In a WhatsApp comment on November 29, Paray said, "Since the party position appeared to oppose the increases, a good idea may be that all MPs including the Leader of the Opposition contribute their back pay – around $6 million collectively – toward building a party headquarters to benefit our 100,000 members. Something like that I will support wholeheartedly!"
This was something Paray campaigned for during the UNC's internal elections in June, as leader of the United Patriots slate, which was defeated by the Persad-Bissessar-endorsed Star slate.
Throughout its 35-year existence, the UNC has not had a party headquarters that it had built or owned.
The party has used spaces at Rienzi Complex in Couva and a second location nearby in the past. The UNC currently rents a building in Chaguanas as its headquarters.
Paray and fellow UNC MPs Dinesh Rambally, Anita Haynes-Alleyne, Dr Rai Ragbir and Rodney Charles have publicly questioned the ability of Persad-Bissessar to lead the party to victory in the next general election.
All but Charles have filed nominations to become candidates in that election.
Last year, Charles announced he was retiring from electoral politics.
Paray said, "As an Opposition MP, I opposed the salary upgrades for several office-holders, and I maintain this position."
Referring to comments that the increased salaries will be paid to office holders regardless of whether or not they accept them, Paray said, "The real question is, how will the funds be used?
"In my case, 100 per cent of my existing parliamentary salary, after deductions, is spent on food, medicine, and community programmes for constituents.
"The additional $3,000 will fund ten more hampers for ten families."
Asked if he would follow any directive given by the UNC about what its members should do with their new salaries, Paray said, "I will support reasonable, well-thought-out options and reject any foolishness."
Ragbir said, "In all honesty, I was never afforded the opportunity to spend the money on myself. The money has always catered for the needs of the constituents of Cumuto/Manzanilla, and my private practice always helps.
"The persons who have received this assistance have always put a comforting warmth in
