Representatives of the community of Viqueque District urged the National Parliament to consider doing away with the law that provides a pension for life to former senior government officials and members of the national parliament because this law only benefits those individuals.
“The law is not fair and it is not about protecting the dignity of the people,” said community member Honorio da Silva, during a public meeting held at the Viqueque District Administration Hall to listen to the voices and concerns of local residents.
The public meeting was organized by the International Republic of Institute (IRI).
The community of Viqueque expressed strong concerns with the Life Pension Law because public servants currently upon retirement only receive 75% of their salary.
“So the pension for former Members of Parliament should not be equal to 100% of their salaries. That is not fair to me,” added resident da Silva.
He also said during the 2012 Election party campaigns, this issue came up and all political parties said its debate would be a priority if they won office but thus far the issue has been forgotten.
He urged the National Parliament to change the law to reduce the amount received through the pension.
Meanwhile MP Benvinda Catarina Rodrigues, one of the speakers at the public forum, said she was one of the proponents of changes to the law during the second legislature but the proposal was not accepted by the President of the Parliament.
MP Rodrigues said currently the debate of the Life Pension Law is pending and a debate is not likely to occur until 2015 or 2016.
She added two particular issues with the law will be debated. First the law states in order to qualify for the life pension an MP only needs to hold the position for a period of three years.
“We don’t agree, he or she should be an MP for at least five years in order to qualify for the life pension,” said the MP.
She said the parliament would not be able to do away with the law but that it could fix some of its articles.
“We undertook at comparative study and we won’t be able to do away with it, because we need to respect the dignity of our MP’s,” said MP Rodrigues.
“My bench agrees to reduce the amount [of the pension] to 75% or 80% but we will debate this later.”
She encouraged the NGO community to put in a submission to Commission A of the Parliament to look into this matter.
Meantime MP Joaquim dos Santos said there were fundamental reasons for writing the Life Pension Law.
One of those reasons was to provide a pension for members of the Constituent Assembly but the law did not preview the rapid turnover of MP’s and their entitlement to life pension.
He added the law then became politicized and the parliament has not been able to address adequately.
He said also the Parliament will be able to debate the amount of the pension but the obligations and substance of the law will not change.
“This is an entitlement that is sacred and all nations must have it.”
