Irritation at WIGUT misdirected, Joseph

THE EDITOR: I respond to Lynette Joseph’s recent letter about the WIGUT (UWI) negotiations – "WIGUT, Santa does not live here any more."

Firstly, if I was Santa Claus I would have moved out of this country a long time to go to live in another Caribbean country.

I would have looked for a nice, shapely island woman to marry, mind some animals, plant up the land and eat some provision with peas and saltfish. Hello, the crime rate here is a serious turn-off.

Secondly, while I understand that the 24 per cent that WIGUT is asking for seems unreasonable, isn’t the Prime Minister planning to accept the Salaries Review Commission (SRC)'s recommendations? The WIGUT negotiations are not just for one time period, if I am not mistaken.

The pending SRC’s recommendations will see the PM’s salary increase from around $59,000 to $87,000. That increase is about 60 per cent plus, if I am not mistaken. And why is that increase so high? Other citizens to benefit from the proposed salary increase include politicians, ministers, the Opposition Leader, parliamentarians, senior public servants, members of the judiciary and the THA, to name a few.

Joseph, have you not taken note that Dr Rowley has shown no empathy whatsoever for us working class folks who are surviving on 2014 salaries in this guava season.

Yes, you were correct when you mentioned that "agreed salary increases from way back when now total a high 28 per cent payout for WIGUT. The entire world is on hold with the possibility of World War III. People with a university education are most certainly aware of this looming catastrophe.

"How can we ever forget that the government is responsible for financing the entirety of the UWI to the tune of billions of taxpayers' dollars?”

It is indeed unfortunate that UWI has not reached to the phase of being self-financed, and I pray that matter is something that the UWI staff would seriously look into. I guess you were gently trying to imply "that the lecturers should take what they get and hush."

I think that your irritation regarding the matter may be justified, but it can also be seen as misdirected since the UWI provides valuable contributions to the Caribbean, etc.

As we continue to discuss funding, what about the bill that is owed to T&TEC? Recently the country got news that state agencies owe T&TEC over $1 billion, and in turn T&TEC owes over $6 billion to NGC, from which it buys gas to produce electricity.

Wait, what? When are these bills going to be paid? Then our electricity bill is to go up sometime soon. And what about what is owed to WASA by state agencies too? Where is the money coming from for all of these payments?

Hmm, we are owed some explanations regarding how all of these bills would be paid with declining oil and gas money. Like the Lord needs to make money rain on us as the manna did from heaven for the Hebrews back then. Sigh!

JEANIE ANNE ALI

Port of Spain