Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley is objecting to alleged claims by Persad-Bissessar she did not know about any proposal by Government for a five per cent salary cap for public servants. Rowley quoted from Hansard records to support his claim. "This agreement remains within the five per cent, 2-1-2," Persad-Bissessar was quoted by Hansard as saying in Parliament on April 8.
That quote was in reference to the concluded negotiations with the Public Services Association. The agreement was signed by PSA president, Watson Duke, and the Government's Chief Personnel Officer earlier that same day. Rowley also quoted other newspaper reports which said the PM and Finance Minister Winston Dookeran had both indicated the Government could not offer more than a five per cent increase.
Rowley said Persad-Bissessar's unawareness of the cap was "outright dishonesty and disrespect to the entire population." Meanwhile, Persad-Bissessar told reporters at the Piarco International Airport on April 8 that the Government was not going to offer public servants more than five per cent increase for all new collective agreements this year. "I do not intend to deviate from the five per cent," she said.