NEW MPS TO TAKE E276M IN SALARIES

MBABANE – The 11th Parliament to be set up around October 2018 will cost the taxpayer not less than E276 million in basic salaries for legislators, the Times SUNDAY can reveal.

This excludes sitting, travelling and communication allowances.
The additional five Tinkhundla centres will increase the budget for Members of Parliament’s (MPs) basic salaries by E2.7 million per year, translating to E13.8 million in five years.

MPs are in office for the duration of five years.
His Majesty the King increased the number of Tinkhundla centres to 59 – from 55.
This has been hailed as a good idea by the Head of State to facilitate speedy service delivery.
However, four women can be elected by the House if it appears that female MPs will not constitute at least 30 per cent of the total membership of Parliament.

This is enshrined in Section 86 of the Constitution.  
In basic salaries, excluding allowances, four MPs, in a period of five years, take E11.1 million from the public purse.
This is not to suggest that Tinkhundla centres must not be increased as some centres had too many communities to serve, resulting in many areas being underdeveloped.

Meanwhile, government would need E191.7 million to maintain the House of Assembly in terms of payment of salaries and a further E83.3 million for Senators.

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