By NEWSDAY REPORTERS Saturday, November 17 2007

OPPOSITION LEADER Basdeo Panday will announce Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj as the new Opposition Chief Whip following an orientation programme for the 15 UNC Alliance MPs at the Nelson Mandela Hall, Centre of Excellence in Macoya on Monday from 3 pm to 7 pm.

Newsday confirmed yesterday that Panday has already spoken to Maharaj and offered him the job which Maharaj accepted. However, Panday kept the Opposition’s senatorial line-up close to his chest, only saying the UNC Alliance would rotate its six senators from time to time. One of the persons tipped to be an Opposition senator, Dr Suruj Rambachan, said he would have to resign as Mayor of Chaguanas if he accepted the post.

After receiving his instruments of appointment as Opposition Leader at President’s House on Thursday, Maharaj was seen in close discussion with UNC deputy leader Jack Warner who asked him to prepare a document on the role of the Chief Whip. Maharaj did so and returned the document to Warner while the ceremony was taking place. Maharaj’s special focus as Chief Whip will be on the issues of crime and justice. The former Attorney General will also ask of the circumstances under which Police Commissioner Trevor Paul was given a one-year extension in office. For weeks there had been speculation that former opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was also in contention for the Chief Whip post.

Panday yesterday remained tight-lipped on the identities of the six Opposition senators he had selected but said this line-up will be rotated over time. Asked whether the Senate team would reflect the UNC old guard as suggested by unnamed sources in a Newsday story yesterday, or highlight the UNC’s Alliance partners such as the DPTT, NAR, DNA, Yes TT and NDP, Panday replied, “We will choose the best people — that’s the first criterion. We shall rotate them — because there are only six positions — so as to give more people an exposure to the parliamentary process”.

Among the names mentioned as potential UNC senators are Rambachan, Wade Mark, Carson Charles, Jennifer Jones Kernahan, Dr Adesh Nanan and Dr Daphne Phillips. Rambachan told Newsday Panday has not asked him to be a senator and he could not continue as Chaguanas mayor if he decided to accept such a post. According to the 80th Report of the Salaries Review Committee, Rambachan would lose his monthly salary of $13,700 if he resigns as mayor and would take home a smaller monthly salary of $10,500 if he is appointed a senator.

Should Rambachan be appointed a senator, he would lose benefits such as a $175,000 loan facility to buy a new or used car tax free and a monthly travelling allowance of $2,750 which he now receives as mayor.

As a senator, Rambachan would be entitled to benefits such as $300,000 loan facility to buy a new or used car tax free, a monthly travelling allowance of $2,000 and a monthly allowance of $1,000 if he has to serve as a member of a parliamentary joint select committee.