Times Of Swaziland: HAS MNISI’S CIRCULAR BEEN OVERTAKEN BY EVENTS?

HAS MNISI’S CIRCULAR BEEN OVERTAKEN BY EVENTS?
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BY MFANUKHONA NKAMBULE on 13/01/2019 05:36:00


mfanukhona@times.co.sz
MBABANE –Will it be relevant?  His Majesty the King appointed a Royal
Commission in March 2018 to review terms and conditions of service for
politicians.
Ten months down the line, the commission, whose chairperson is Dr Phil Mnisi, is
yet to release a final document that will replace Finance Circular No.2 of 2013.
As a result, politicians are currently being paid their basic salaries on the
basis of the existing circular.
His commission has been given extended period of up to January 31, 2019 to
complete the review, which started early last year.
Now, will Mnisi’s led Royal Commission circular revoke some lucrative benefits
or reduce the perceived hefty salaries, which the parliamentarians are currently
earning in terms of the current document? What are the legal implications if the
salaries are reduced?
The legal sources said the biggest challenge now was that the forthcoming
circular, which could be referred to as Finance Circular No.3 of 2018 or 2019,
might, to a certain extent, create serious challenges or legal ramifications, if
it were to be enforced in the 11th Parliament.
This is due to the fact that politicians have already started enjoying some
benefits legally legitimised by Finance Circular No.2 of 2013. The benefits
include the basic salaries.
Since November 2018, salaries for the politicians were paid on the basis of the
existing finance circular. The source explained that the new document to be
produced by Mnisi-led Royal Commission might create problems if it were to
reduce the parliamentarians’ salaries and other related perks.
“Government should have released a new circular, which was to be effective
before the first payday for the incoming Parliament or withhold the payment of
salaries until the new circular is published,” said the source.
salary determines lifestyle
For purposes of the existing circular, parliamentarians comprise the prime
minister, deputy prime minister, presiding officers, ministers, regional
administrators, deputy presiding officers, members of Parliament, tindvuna
tetinkhundla and bucopho betinkhundla.