THE EDITOR, Sir:TO BORROW the favourite word of two political archrivals - Bruce Golding and Dr. Omar Davies - I am predicting that come March 2006, when the now infamous Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) comes to an end, there is going to be 'bangarang' in the public sector when members of that group meet with the various agencies mandated to negotiate with them for the necessary adjustments and improvement in their wage packages.
'Bangarang' will certainly take place if the Government expects that the poor workers of this country are going to stand by and accept anything but a more than reasonable increase in their salaries and allowances.
A few days ago, members of the Joint Confederation of Trade Unions issued a statement that they would be seeking double digit increases come next year and rightly so. However, I certainly hope that employers don't think that this stops at 10 per cent!
It is alarming when you look at what is happening over the last two years. Electricity bills have been increased twice and the price tags on water, telephone and other basic amenities, have also seen dramatic increases, not to mention food.
Every month that a consumer walks into a supermarket, he or she must be prepared to spend more, all this from a frozen salary. And now a bus and taxi fare increase. How much more must we bear?
Nothing is increased by single digits in this land, yet employers and the Government expect that workers should accept a three per cent raise, when everything else goes up by over 50 per cent.
Government has failed in its promise to keep inflation down. I'm not naïve in believing that Government has control over the escalating prices on all goods and services. Nevertheless, there has to be a way to protect the consumer from the 'wolves'. They also need to re-examine their micro and macroeconomic policies, which do not seem to be working too well.
I am, etc.,
URIEL WILLIAMS
williu2005@yahoo.com
Bushy Park Gardens
