Several high-profile PPP members employed on a contractual basis by the Office of the President (OP) are among more than 180 persons not receiving monthly payments of wages and allowances as a result of the opposition-led cuts on the 2012 National Budget, according to information released by Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh.
Singh made the disclosure in a written response to a question posed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Harmon, who sought to find out the name, agency, designation and salary of persons whose employment was terminated as a direct consequence of the budget cuts.
Singh noted that the cuts saw 124 contract employees at the Office of the President (OP), 36 Government Infor-mation Agency (GINA) employees, and 25 workers at the Ethnic Relations Commis-sion (ERC) not accessing their salaries.
At OP, Gail Teixeira, who has been a long-standing PPP member, a serving MP and a former government minister, is paid $967,985 monthly, representing a salary plus allowances for her duties as a presidential advisor.
Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, the PPP’s longest serving central committee member, who is unwell and is aided during his public appearances, is also listed as an advisor to the president, for which he receives $412,266 monthly.
Listed as presidential advisor on sustainable development is the former Agriculture Minister and former MP for the PPP, Navin Chandarpal, who earns $470,000 monthly. His wife, Indra Chandarpal, who is an MP for the PPP, is listed as the “Prime Executive of the Co-ord. Council [Women and Gender Equality Commission]” for which she is paid $393,117 monthly.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon, who is also a senior functionary of the PPP, is listed as being paid a salary of $895,326 monthly, while his Deputy, Hydar Ally, another PPP functionary, is paid $550,064 monthly.
Meanwhile, Mahendra Roopnarine, also known as Romel Roopnarine, who is listed as a “Press Undersecre-tary OPL” and who served as the PPP/C’s Public Relations officer during last year’s elections, was listed as receiving $395,000 monthly.
Roopnarine’s job portfolio, however, is unclear and calls made to OP to ascertain his responsibilities were met with answers from a telephone operator who stated that he did not work there.
The substantive OP Com-munications Co-ordinator, Kwame McCoy is listed as earning a monthly salary of $334,850, including allowances.
Grandson of former presidents Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan, Cheddi Jagan III, is also a contracted employee at OP, where his designation is attorney-at-law. He is paid $478,476 monthly. Charles Ramson, the son of the former Attorney General, is designated as Technical Legal Direc-tor, for which he is paid $430,196 monthly.
Other PPP members employed on a contractual basis by OP are Philomena Sahoye-Shury, Desmond Kissoon and Shirley Edwards. Sahoye-Shury, Coordinator for the Community Develop-ment Councils, draws a salary of $315,000; Kissoon, who is designated as Presidential Political Liaison Officer for Region 9, is paid $280,000; and Edwards is paid $122,000.
Meanwhile, other advisors employed by OP at high rates include Andrew Bishop, who is the Policy Advisor for land and the Environment and who earns $1,035,000 monthly. He has been leading the charge for government’s climate change plan.
Former army head retired Major General Joe Singh, who recently returned to the helm of GT&T, is paid $667,440 for services as special assistant to the president. Other former disciplined forces members employed by OP include former army chief-of-staff Michael Atherly, who is the coordinator for Hinterland and Border Security and earns $515,023; former police commissioner Floyd McDonald, who is coordinator of the National Anti-Narcotic Commission (NANCOM), for which he earns $438,187; and CDC Director General, retired Colonel Chabilall Ramsarup, who earns $686,122 for his services.
Former West Indies Captain Clive Lloyd earns $721,000 as presidential advisor on sports.
Meanwhile, the list showed that GINA Director Neaz Subhan earns a monthly salary of $295,530, while GINA’s Editor-in-Chief Shanta Goberdan earns $295,460 monthly.
At the ERC, Chief Executive Officer Yvonne Langevine is paid $372,434 monthly, while head of the Media and Campaign Moni-toring Unit (MCMU) Remington Eastman earns $223,200 monthly.
Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang recently ordered that the Finance Minister be allowed to withdraw money from the consolidated fund for the payment of the ERC to perform its functions.
