Call for scrapping of Entitlements for MPS

The Solomon Islands Council of Trade Unions and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry are calling for entitlements of members of Parliament to be scrapped.

In a joint press statement, both the Unions and the Chamber of Commerce described the Parliamentary Entitlements Commission 2009 award of entitlements to MPs as corrupt and irresponsible.

The statement follows a historic meeting between the country's peak business and workers bodies last Thursday to discuss recent awards to Parliamentarians.

Both bodies agree that the current government budget crisis and state of the economy means the country is not in a position to afford increases to MPs.

They have written to both the prime minister and the leader of opposition, asking for meetings with them, to discuss their grave concerns regarding the economic, moral, social and political implications of the recent PEC awards.

Both the Unions and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry strongly call on the government and the opposition to recommend to the Parliamentary Entitlement's Commission to immediately review and rescind the 2009 increases.

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