The Editor, Sir:

I found the articles "Revisiting the parliamentary building" and "Parliamentary pay: setting the record straight" by Hartley Neita and Fitz Jackson in last Saturday's Gleaner quite interesting. I also took note of recent comments made by MP Mike Henry on the issue of parliamentary salaries. While I don't support Mr. Henry's paying for funerals, the other issues he raised were quite valid.

These three articles show one of the reasons why we cannot lift ourselves out of dependency and become an independent developed country. We are still locked in the colonial mentality which teaches us to resent our own leaders. We blame them for everything wrong with our country, take no responsibility, and continue to wait in vain for the 'messiah'. Mr. Henry finding it necessary to pay for funerals is another indication of that dependency syndrome we have.

First, let me deal with parliamentary salaries. Members of Parliament are public servants and their salaries should be adjusted in a manner similar to those of other public servants. If inflation requires adjustment in their salary of a policeman, it also requires adjustment in the salary of an MP. Yet, we continue to fight every time MP salaries are to be adjusted. We make silly suggestions like tying MP salaries to the performance of the economy, when that performance is affected by many factors (external and internal) beyond the control of MPs.

We need to learn that people must be properly paid for the jobs they are doing. If we find their performance unsatisfactory, the proper recourse is to fire them - not to lower their salaries. We have the opportunity to fire MPs every five years and it is time we take that opportunityand responsibility seriously.

Parliamentary building inadequate

On the matter of the parliamentary buildings, Gordon House has been inadequate for a long time now. Yet every time there is consideration of a new parliament building, there is a big hue and cry. We do not want to pay for it. We do not want to give our MPs the facilities they need to carry out their jobs. And, in a supreme irony, we complain about the ineffectiveness of Parliament and the consequent awesome power of the Prime Minister.

In summary, we as a people need to take responsibility for our country. We must pay our MPs and government officials properly. We must give them the tools and facilities to do their jobs. And we must fire them when they perform unsatisfactorily.

I am, etc.,

HUGH P SMYTHE

hsmythe@tstt.net.tt

10 Schooner Court

Westmoorings

Trinidad & Tobago