Do you accept the Government's explanation for delaying the Public Servants' pay increases?

Big John is doing a very impressive job on your show today. John this is your first big test don't let your members down. The Government did not treat you or your members with respect in this matter. If you back down now the government will always take you for granted.

1Million+ appeared for bleachers...need I say more.

According to the International Monetary Fund the IMF its in the interst of the Bahamas not to give these funds because of the debt of the country!

So I will have ot agree with the IMF

:(

I want the money though but at this time it may not be a good idea

I accept, but feel for those who have budgeted for it- expecting to receive it in July.

Things really look rough for the country in the short run, let's hope and pray for better times sooner than later.

www.Dennis.web.com

I THINK THE GOVERNMENT WAS RIGHT, AND IF THE IMF THINKS THAT THE TIMING NOW IS BADTHEN I THINK THEY SHOULD WAIT, WON'T IT BE BETTER TO THINK OF THE NATIONS INTEREST AT LARGE AND MAKE A SMALL SACRIFICE FOR A FEW MONTHS AND WE ALL WILL BE HAPPY,IT IS NOT AS IF THEY ARE BEING DENIED THE MONIES, THE CONTRACT WILL BE HONORED IN DUE TIME, WHAT HAPPEN TO 'ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE':bahamas:

I am in total agreement with the governments' decision not to give the pay increase. We would all like to have and get things but however in life we don't always get what we want. Good things come to those who wait. These workers have the luxary of having a SURE job while persons in the private sector are losing jobs every day. All those who need this $1,200 so badly give it to them along with their walking papers. Most of those ministries are Over Staffed in any event and there are many abled, young twelfth grade students who would be more than happy to have a SURE job.


:bahamas:

Very good point u made by we are going to have a lot of people who just dont care and will work even slower

How can you get blood out of stone? We enjoy the good times together now let's make that sacrifice to suffer the not-so-good times together. I'm not shocked by the reaction of Mr. Black of the Teachers Union, he's still upset about the Referendum and is trying to embarrass the govt. We all have to tighten our belts and if explained properly, our children will understand why they can't go to Disney this summer or we can't change our car. Give the Government the benefit of the doubt and wait until December. It's best to cautious at this point than to put the entire country in jeopardy for $100 per month. Did Hubert Ingraham and his government ever think that this situation would arise before they made such a commitmemt? It's no wonder - no vision! Stay on course Mr. Prime Minister.

A definite YES. After all is no chicken change but $24 Million or so that will go on the DEBIT side of the bank account.

There are times, specially during difficult economic times, when a government should and must take what may be percived as an unpopular stand. Even at the risk of those electorate votes.

In reality, Bahamian tax payers as voters are now more understanding of what "in the best interest of the Bahamas" really means. (Just see what happened in the last election)

Come the next election, we will remember which candidate made decisions in the "best" interest of our country, and forget the one that went with the flow.

So thank you to Mr. Christie for standing firm. We are behind your stance.

I wonder how many of you actually work in the public sector. Of course there are a few example of undeserving civil servants, but by an large, the majority of persons do a wonderful job and should get their increases. There is this prevailing belief among our bahamian people, almost to the point of being religious with it, that despite the fact that a contract was entered into, the rules, regulations and promises made within, can be ignored or dismissed with little or no consequences. If the government of the Bahamas, whether intended or not can behave with legal contracts in this manner, then what purpose does law and order serve. What's to stop anyone who has entered into a contract within the legal confines of the Bahamas from reneging on it. There are numerous ways the Bahamas government can find to pay the civil servants their increases but these methods require a strong political will which unfortunately this particular government seems curiously lacking. I have so far heard no utterances from the government of scalebacks in the overstaffed Public Corporations or Ministries. What about offering early retirement to senior civil servants who are just too old to give a sh..t anymore. How about putting BEC, ZNS, Batelco, Hotel Corporation, The Airport Authority etc. just to name a few, on the fast track to privatization. 2 Months. I know all these ideas have been talked about before but so far talking has not gotten us any solution to the problem. NOW is the time for some serious action.

:bahamas: Well its my view that the progressive liberal party gvernment may have made the right decision to prospone the pay increases to civil servants becuase of the current financial climate. However what makes it seems as the this government is undermineing the civil servants, ie the backbone of our country is how they decidied to squander and wate the peoples money on the bleacher scandal, the hiring of scores of political and ministerial advisers and the decision to purchase 40 new luxury cars surely let those who have eyes to see let them see and those who have eyes to hear and let them hear and do not be fooled. In the words of the former Prime Minister dont be fooled when this government says that they dont have enough money to do what they promised to do bu they have enough money to do what they want to do

We seem to be losing sight of the facts. The country incurred heavy debts as a result of the ineptness of the FNM govt. $100.000,000 spent on the proposed Batelco privatization, 14 million spent on the Festival Centre downtown which started out costing $800,000. $100,000,000 spent in two years on the scholarship scheme with no checks and balances. $1,000,000 spent on the wiring of the Senate which never happened because the contracted company left the country with the money. The Ministry of Health Building on Poinciana Hill, overbudgeted, roadworks, never completed but money gone! Need I say more? The govt. is not opting out of it's contract with the civil service, they are asking to postpone for six months so that the country does not go bust! Contrary to false accusations circulating around, there are not 40 new cars being ordered. There are some six new cars or so being ordered because the old ones are unreliable, unfit and worn out. Don't forget, these were inherited from the former govt.

Let's get real and think of the overall picture.

not to mention,batelco. fnm government , squandered a lot of money .
that pay increase was just an election ploy anyway. let them wait.

It is our understanding (the public) that the FNM promised this salary increase to civil servants during election campaign time; clearly the FNM made an irresponsible promise when they made it without due consideration to whether or not the country could afford it.

In general simple terms, and just plain comun sense when a business or an individual has to borrow money to pay living, ongoing, expenses, that business or individual is already in trouble.

The fact is that currently the public treasury is at its highest ever deficit (debt) and those in government be it FNM or PLP who control the purse are to blame.

The economy global and local are in bad shape; I hear many business people say that they have not seen it this bad since the early 90s, and there is a general feeling of uncertainty that is frightening.

We all citizens, PLP government and civil servants included, need to (using a well known phrase) wake up and smell the coffee; we cannot go indefinetly SPENDING money we don't have, writing checks that will bounce, and think that a day of RECKONING will not be coming.

Even of more concern should be that our economy depends too much on two very soft industries: Financial/banking services and Tourism.

We have witnessed what happened to Financial/banking services........and Tourism, well it depends too much on other peoples interest to come to our islands......this last one is suffering greatly look around you and notice the amount of small businesses that cater to tourists closing down............

....I think there are too many lawyers involved with the business of running the country

Anyone who budgets money that is not in their hands as yet is a fool.


Lets face it, if the country is not doing well how can u force a goverment to place at risk the stability of it for a few dollars.

A commitment was given to the people.


MONEY DOES NOT ROTTEN "JUST WAIT"