A 2014-Assessment Report was submitted to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in T&T titled Constituency Relations of the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. This comprehensive report dealt with several matters as it relates to the 41 constituency offices and the 31 sub-constituencies offices.
It was based heavily on the operations of these offices with regard to the guidelines set forth in the 2010 Constituency Operations Manual. The study found a number of breaches and made several recommendations.
One of these breaches is that MPs conduct political promotion works in these constituency offices which is strictly forbidden. If fact, the penalty for such illegalities is that the Office of the Parliament can cease funding for that constituency office. Some of the recommendations here deal with more guidelines to be developed by Parliament as well as implementing appropriate monitoring mechanisms.
Another stipulation in the Constituency Operations Manual was that the MP, while being responsible for all hiring, promotion and termination of staff at the constituency must not hire immediate family.
The report noted that the MP is provided with $30,000 to pay for administrative, clerical, research and messaging/driving staff. Further, each MP is given $2,500 for utilities such as telephone, electricity and water. They are provided with an additional $1,500 for postage, stationery, supplies and janitorial items. The Parliament covers the rent, IT equipment, monthly maintenance of equipment and Internet services—as the report outlined.
An MP is entitled to one constituency office and up to a maximum of three sub-constituency offices. However, approval is needed for such sub-offices which are really intended for remote areas.
The report points to many human resource issues which Parliament should address. For example, it points to the fact that there is a serious mismatch between the qualifications of the persons hired and the functions that they perform in constituency offices. That is, there are many people who are employed at constituency offices who are not qualified to perform in the portfolio assigned to them.
The report pointed out that due to the salary levels offered at constituency offices, they do not attract appropriate professionals.
It noted that Parliament is there to advise and assist MPs in their functions at constituency offices so there is no excuse of not knowing what and how to the various tasks associated with a constituency office.
Given what has recently played out with one MP regarding constituency office matters, now is the time to do a full comprehensive audit with public disclosure of all findings on all MPs constituency and sub-constituency offices with the appropriate action taken where necessary. This is the only way that we ensure that proper governance is instituted to run our institutions that are funded by the public/taxpayers. Representatives of civic society should be a part of this assessment grouping.
Ian Ramdhanie
Via email