Recently public servants gained a 14 percent salary increase; however, as citizens of this country, they still suffer from 100 percent neglect by our respective governments.
The timing of this agreement, in my opinion, is meant to gain psychological leverage by mitigating the distrust and frustration felt by voters heading into the upcoming general election.
Public servants may see this as a victory, but I don’t think it should be viewed this way.
A 14, 20, 30 or a 50 percent increase will never address the real issues we have been clamoring about for years and which no government has ever addressed.
Participants in the On the Job Training Programme (OJT) consistently face problems trying to get their stipends.
Our country’s penal system is atrocious.
Car owners pay ridiculously high insurance premiums.
Food and transportation costs increase regularly.
Many of our citizens still do not get a reliable water supply.
Our healthcare system is abominable. With the rising cost of healthcare how much of public servant’s retirement benefits will be spent on medication and care.
Traffic is becoming more frustrating.
For many public servants spending hours getting to and from work is normal.
We face higher and higher rent prices without the benefit of a logical system of price assessment.
Our “Justice System” is a sham: Where is Calder Hart? Whatever happened to the “Piarco Airport Authority Scandal”?
Poor working conditions still exist for many public servants, despite the increase.
In my view, this administration and previous governments don’t mind providing the appearance of support for public servants, so long as they can preside over the treasury.
In fact, a 14 percent increase is negligible, when the bigger picture is taken into consideration – these politicians still control the destiny of our country.
Land prices are beyond the reach of many.
Some of these same public servants may never own their own home, and neither will their children.
School books and the cost of a “descent” education continue to rise.
Many parents still underwrite a significant portion of their children’s education, despite schools, supposedly, being government funded.
Will your children be able to find the jobs they have studied hard for so they can have a stake in their own country?
Citizens who have not contributed significantly, in any way, to our National Insurance plan receive just as much in pension benefits as public servants who have paid into this system for most of, if not all, their working lives.
Will this (NIS) plan still be solvent in the years to come, considering the problems many retirees have trying to get their benefits?
Will this government or the other option at the polls re-introduce property taxes to negate the increase?
These are just some of the issues we have been facing for decades.
Think about your future. Think about your children’s future. Think! Period!
I urge public servants and citizens of this country to look at the bigger picture. Where will your children live? Will you be able to pay for them to get a “good” education? Will you and your children be able to retire comfortably?
With declining oil revenue, it is becoming more and more difficult for our country to meet its financial obligations, especially salaries.
With the increase in borrowing by this administration, we have a greater debt burden; therefore, the smiles of public servants now are, again, in my humble opinion, only temporary and an illusion.
I predict public servants should be prepared to see their numbers significantly reduced in the not too distant future.