Balford Henry, Senior Parliamentary ReporterThe Standing Orders Committee of the House of Representatives is to meet shortly on the establishment of a Committee on Tax Measures, a proposal prompted by the 1999 gas riots.
Leader of the House, Dr. Peter Phillips, moved the motion on Tuesday. He said that the committee shall have the duty of examining all matters relating to new tax measures for the ensuing financial year which are presented to the House and to make such recommendations to the House as is considered fit and appropriate.
The committee, which will consist of nine Members, will report to the House within 60 days of any tax measures being reported to it.
Dr. Phillips said that it was not proposed that the motion should simply go from the Floor of the House to the Standing Orders, but that there be an appropriate meeting of the Standing Orders Committee to consider issues relating to the terms of reference of the Committee and any other matters that might arise and any other amendment consequential upon the report of the Select Committee.
He said that the intention was that at the beginning the new fiscal year, the measures will be put into effect.
Government backbencher Ronnie Thwaites (Central Kingston) said that the motion was comparable to the proposals for the Charter of Rights. He said that it was "a major step forward to deepen and expand the country's democracy."
JLP Spokesman on Justice Delroy Chuck said that the Opposition saw the move as is something "that can be highly supported."
During the debate on the Bills amending the Parish Council and KSAC Acts to facilitate a pension scheme for Local Gover-nment Councillors, Government backbencher Easton Douglas (South East St. Andrew) asked that if either a councillor or a Member of Parliament's period of service was not sufficient to qualify for pension, in cases where the person had served both as MP and councillor, both periods of service should be combined.
Opposition Spokesman Clifton Stone (North West Clarendon) reminded the House that some years ago a committee had been appointed to look into the matter of persons who had served in Parliament and were now pensionable. He urged the House to look at their recommendations, again.
Mr. Stone: "After looking into the quantum of what some of them were getting, under $10,000 per month, the committee made a recommendation and I would urge that this Parliament bring forward these recommendations, so that something better can be done for these former elected members who are now in the twilight of their years and many of whom are in need."
Mr. Douglas was most passionate in addressing the issue, however. He said: "If you are not dressed in keeping with what is acceptable, you cannot enter into the chamber, one way or the other. And, to be able to keep yourself in a manner which is generally acceptable by society it does cost money. Sometimes for a male it is not too difficult, because you can do with a few suits that you change from time to time. But, as you know Madam Speaker, especially when you have lady representatives who have been outstanding in their dress and charm and fashion, they have to change their dresses frequently and it costs money.
"You have to provide yourself with the capacity to deal with medical expenses and, indeed Madam Speaker, when you die you have to have a funeral that sometimes, if it is not seen to be respectable, the comment is, 'bwoy, him was councillor or MP or Minister and him mash up now, him can't even have a good funeral."
He said that while he might be a bit graphic, "it is the stark reality of life that is being taken for granted."
But, Mr. Douglas said that often the politicians were their own "worst enemies," because there have been times when proposals are made in the House for something to be done, "and if it is brought up at a certain time, the Opposition, whether from one side or the other, objects to it, because they think it might be a popular move in terms of the criticism that is going to come from the public."
