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PM Thomas |
The
opposition is shocked and concerned that
the new administration has been able to
gather the courage to reduce the pay for
persons involved in the debushing
programme.
While
Ministers of Government continue to
enjoy their same salary, they have taken
a decision to cut the pay of the poor
road workers, many of whom are facing
serious economic challenges as the price
of basic food items increase daily and
when many persons through out the
country are complaining that they are
finding it difficult to put food on
their table.
The NNP
while in office, provided salary
increases to public servants including
teachers, police officers and others.
The Keith Mitchell led administration
also gave increases to agricultural
workers. Recognising the rising cost of
living and considering that the road
workers had not gotten an increase in a
long time, the NNP administration
decided to increase the rate paid to
road workers.
This action
was condemned by the NDC Government as
they had to find a reason to justify the
reduction in pay. The excuse given by
the Minister for Works is that the
increase was politically driven. If
this is the reason, then why is it that
the NDC did not reduce the salaries of
other workers who recently got increases
under the Keith Mitchell administration?
The
statements by the Minister have been
consistent with a ‘don’t care’ attitude
for the poor, since he has made similar
statements regarding the NNP’s decision
to increase monies spent on the
debushing programme earlier this year.
The opposition questions why the
Government is always pressuring the most
vulnerable to make sacrifices since it
was also the poor who were expected to
come out and do voluntary service over
the last few months when the clean up
drive was organized around the island.
It must be
noted that the NNP administration always
looked out for the poor and vulnerable
in a special way. Special programmes
were introduced or expanded to assist
the vulnerable to deal with the rising
cost of living, such as: the milk
programme, the food basket programme,
the school voucher programme, the
debushing programme, transportation
support programme and more.
It should be recalled that
in the 2002 Budget Presentation, Finance
Minister at the time, Anthony Boatswain
announced Cabinet’s decision to reduce
the salaries of
all Ministers by 10%. That
decision was taken against the backdrop
of the slow down in
Grenada’s economy following the events
of September 11th.
As a result of this decision, the salary
of Ministers moved from $65,000 per
annum to
$58, 500 per annum.
The
opposition therefore calls on the new
Government in these tough economic times
to reconsider its decision and to return
to the previous rate paid to the road
workers.
OFFICE
OF THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION |
