Questions are mounting over whether Opposition Leader Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and his two appointed opposition senators Carlos James and Keisal Peters will be eligible to receive a parliamentary salary after failing to take the oath of office at the first sitting of the new Parliament last week.
While government members and newly elected MPs took their oaths and assumed their seats, the opposition bench — led by the Former Prime Minister — was notably absent. Without the oath, a member cannot participate in debate, vote, or officially act in the capacity of an MP or senator. What remains unclear is whether pay and allowances can be processed for individuals who have technically not yet assumed office.
The Constitution requires elected representatives and senators to swear or affirm allegiance before carrying out parliamentary duties. There is, however, no explicit clause stating whether remuneration is automatically withheld until this is done. The Constitution bars members from performing parliamentary duties until the oath is taken, and it remains widely held that pay is tied to the assumption of duties — raising questions about remuneration until the oath is completed.
Gonsalves, who served as Prime Minister for more than two decades, now holds the role of Leader of the Opposition after a dramatic shift in political power. The Unity Labour Party was reduced to a single seat, placing the former ruling administration on the minority side for the first time in its modern political history.
The Opposition explained last week Monday that, due to security concerns, he and his senators will not attend Parliament as yet, and they have not provided a date for when their oath will be taken. Some speculate that the absence could be strategic — symbolic resistance or simple deferral — while others believe it signals a rocky start to the legislative term.
For now, the legal and financial implications remain a point of national interest. With the government already sworn in and parliamentary work underway, attention turns to when Gonsalves and his senators will step forward to affirm the oath — and whether the Treasury can release payments before they do.
As the House prepares for its next meeting, the question remains: No oath, no pay — or just politics as usual?
