Up to midday, April 12, not a penny in salary for new UPP MP’s or senators, they confirm; Barbuda senator snubbed, too

“Nada. Nunca. Nothing!” This is how Senate Minority Leader Shawn Nicholas describes the state of pay for United Progressive Party (UPP) parliamentarians, as of this morning, April 12.

Last week, St. George MP Algernon “Serpent” Watts disclosed that the new members of the Lower House had not received a penny of their salaries since they were elected on January 18 – and despite having had four sittings in their official capacity.

Senator Nicholas also confirmed that neither she, her UPP colleagues, nor the Barbuda senator had been paid, either.

Last Thursday, ahead of the long Easter holidays, sources informed REAL News that there had been an administrative misunderstanding at the Treasury, and expressed the hope that the matter would be corrected that afternoon.

They said, then, that the UPP MP’s and Senators should be able to access funds through their ATM’s and make online transactions.

However, Nicholas says that, up to now (midday the following Wednesday), no payments have been made, and the UPP parliamentarians are unable to reach either the Accountant General or his deputy.

Meanwhile, City South Caretaker Franz deFreitas has described this situation as a slap in the face to the thousands of citizens and residents who voted for the UPP and called for protest action.

Unconfirmed reports say that Government MPs have received their monthly salaries; but the status of Government and independent senators’ pay is not known.