Manning was asked to comment on a call by Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday to reduce his salary by 50 per cent, after a proposed 15 per cent pay cut by Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding.
“We don’t agree… It is when countries are in difficulties like these (global financial crisis) that you have to work that much harder to be able to bring things around, and that’s the reality of it,” he said. Manning said T&T was “much more difficult now to govern than it would have been when things were running smoothly, so that our output has increased.” Asked if the government would accept any proposed salary increases from the Salaries Review Commission (SRC) at this time, Manning said: “It was very unlikely that the SRC would make such a recommendation… That’s a political decision.”
On another issue, the appointment of a new Integrity Commission, Manning said he discussed the matter during his meeting with President George Maxwell Richards on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, at this time, because of the existing requirements, there are a lot of people who normally would serve in this country (who) are very reluctant to do that,” he said. “Sooner or later, we are going to have to address that issue.” He said he felt “we would get an Integrity Commission not too long from now.” The members of the last Integrity Commission resigned in February, after a High Court ruling. Meanwhile, Panday said up to late on Wednesday he had not received the promised letter from President Richards on prospective nominees for the commission. Panday said he had a few names he would like to recommend, but could not do so until he received the letter from the President.
