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THE independent senators expressed a diverse range of opinions over whether to change a law that now allows someone serving a short stint as prime minister to get a full PM’s pension of $87,000 per month. While senators did not call names, it is known this would immediately apply to former PM, Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young. Each independent senator gave a broad-based range of reasoning on a bill’s proposal to retroactively require a PM serve at least a year in office to start to qualify on a graduated scale.

The Senate debated the Prime Minister’s Pension (Amendment) Bill 2025 on June 30, after the Lower House had passed it by a special majority on June 27.

The government required votes from at least four of the nine independent senators to pass the bill with a special majority.