A MOVE to reinstate lifetime pension benefits for elected and appointed public representatives is set to be quashed by the Shura Council.
The bid to reinstate the 2009 MPs, municipal councillors, Shura Council and Capital Trustees Board members’ Pay and Pension Law, presented by former MPs, is up for debate on Sunday.
Under the proposed legislation, they are also seeking annual increases to the pensions of elected and appointed public representatives similar to others in the private, government and military sectors.
A bill that overhauled pension packages, with trimmed benefits for elected and appointed officials, was approved in October 2018 by both Parliament and the Shura Council.
Before that, representatives qualified for a lifetime pension equivalent to 50 per cent of their monthly wage after serving a four-year term, 80pc after serving two terms and 90pc for three or more terms – in addition to a regular state pension.
Now they qualify for a one-month bonus for each year in service during the four-year term.
The 2018 rules for public office positions do not apply to those who held such roles before the measure was adopted – meaning only those coming to office from 2018 onwards were affected.
As a result, long-serving representatives elected before and after the rule fall within both categories as they get ongoing pensions, in addition to bonuses.
The Shura Council’s services committee has recommended rejection of the backwards step, saying that the former lifetime pension system was scrapped for good.
“Currently, public representatives get an ‘end-of-service’ bonus as the former lifetime payment has been cancelled and is non-existent,” said committee chairwoman Hala Fayez.
“So opening the limit for pension increases is also inapplicable, with those continuing to get paid for office time, getting the same without any change.”
An ‘end-of-service’ bonus for former public representatives was transferred to bank accounts in August last year.
The monthly wages adding up to BD4,250 for regular MPs and Shura Council members include BD2,000 basic salary, BD1,200 representational allowance, BD300 social allowance and BD750 for car instalment.
The first and second vice-chairmen in each chamber receive BD500 more, while Parliament Speaker and the Shura Council Chairman receive BD1,000 extra.
The bonus includes all allowances except for the car instalment.
It means that MPs and Shura Council members each received BD14,000 (BD3,500 per month). First and second vice-chairmen received BD16,000 (BD4,000 per month), and BD18,000 (BD4,500 per month) for both Parliament Speaker and the Shura Council Chairman.
Municipal councillors and Capital Trustees Board members receive BD1,500 monthly without any other allowance. Vice-chairmen receive BD1,800 without any other allowance. Chairmen receive BD2,000 with a BD300 car allowance.
It meant that normal members received BD6,000 as a bonus, vice-chairmen BD7,200 and chairmen BD8,000, excluding the car allowance.
The pay-outs cost the government around BD1.130 million.
Under a decree issued by His Majesty King Hamad last year, public representatives who lose their seats are allowed back to their original workplaces in the same positions or higher.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))