Legislation presented in Parliament yesterday will facilitate pension increases for former Presidents Sir Ellis Clarke and ANR Robinson and will also benefit the surviving spouse of the late President Noor Hassanali, according to Public Administration Minister Kennedy Swaratsingh.

Swaratsingh piloted a bill in the Lower House yesterday to this effect. The bill seeks to ensure that pensions payable to holders of the Office of President are reviewed every six years from the date the holder of the office ceased to be president. However it does not pertain to office holders if they ceased to hold office before April 2008. Swaratsingh said the legislation would also treat with the issue of surviving spouses. He lauded deceased President Hassanali, T&T’s second President. He said Hassanali served dutifully and with marked distinction from 1987 to 1997.

Swaratsingh said, “He was described as one of the most neutral, reserved and dignified figures in the history of T&T politics. When he was inaugurated in 1987, he was described as a person with impeccable credentials and a reputation for honesty and humility of the highest order.” He said, “It goes without saying that the honour conferred on the presidents who have served, extended to their spouses and should be reflected in the pensions that are concomitant to that office.” He said the legislation would ensure that surviving spouses of presidents were not “subjected to a national disservice.”

Swaratsingh noted for instance that the pension received by Sir Ellis Clarke is a little less than $6,000. He said there was an unfortunate disparity with the remuneration of sitting Presidents. “It is time to close the gap,” he added. However UNC MP Roodal Moonilal waded into the Government on the case of Hassanali in particular. He noted that Hassanali had after his retirement, written the Government seeking help on removal of VAT and duties on a car and had not been assisted. “To date not one thing has been done to honour Noor Mohammed Hassanali even though we had suggested naming the Hall of Justice after him,” Moonilal said.

He called for surviving spouses to get an allowance of their own since they had also served the country while their husbands served as President. Moonilal noted the extensive work of Zalayhar Hassanali, widow of President Hassanali. He also claimed the bill was meant to pay off Robinson for appointing the PNM to Government. Moonilal noted that the retired presidents will now receive $49,500 which the President now receives. He said he was not sure a retired President needed $49,500. “There is inequity here,” he added.

He also noted that Central Bank figures showed that 50 to 45 per cent of retirees could not live on their income and had to supplement this. Moonilal said Industrial Court judges only received about $5,000. He also called for pensions for doctors and increases for teachers and police officers and for medal awardees to receive something more than medals.