Dear Editor,
I write in response to a letter by Fernandez 'Bingy' Smith, published in the Daily Observer of June 4, 2015. His view, reflected by a number of members and supporters of the current Administration, is that civil servants agitating for better wages have "abdicated their responsibilities" and are "insensitive, irresponsible and selfish". Tell me, Smith, when the current set of ministers were in a position to determine their salaries and benefits, what was their chosen course of action? Did they display, as you suggested, "the breakdown of patriotism in us as a people and our inability to put country above self"? Are you sure that your criticisms are properly directed?
I'm not for a moment suggesting that there's no need for restraint or sacrifice. The solution to the problem won't come overnight, nor will it be solved by simply paying people more. However, it is the heights of hypocrisy to talk about responsibility and patriotism when all the SUVs, salary increases, club "shelling down", million-dollar phone bills, etc, are not also being addressed.
If this Administration wants cooperation from the citizens of Jamaica, it must also demonstrate a willingness to stand with us during our period of sacrifice. How about the police or teachers' responsibility to their families? Do their children not deserve a better life? Can they carry patriotism to the supermarket to pay their bills? I would think that, just like the rest of us, they too have mortgages, medical expenses, and school fees. Their cars also need fuel and must be insured. Their spouses would no doubt like to be treated to a nice evening out once in a while.
Not everyone has a connection to bail us out in times of need. Not all of us have an influential relative in government. I will end by leaving this saying with Mr Smith and his Comrades, 'Take the log out of your eye before telling me of the splinter in mine'.
R Jadusingh
Stony Hill, St Andrew
rjadusingh2@yahoo.com
Can't carry patriotism to supermarket, Bingy Smith
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I write in response to a letter by Fernandez 'Bingy' Smith, published in the Daily Observer of June 4, 2015. His view, reflected by a number of members and supporters of the current Administration, is that civil servants agitating for better wages have "abdicated their responsibilities" and are "insensitive, irresponsible and selfish". Tell me, Smith, when the current set of ministers were in a position to determine their salaries and benefits, what was their chosen course of action? Did they display, as you suggested, "the breakdown of patriotism in us as a people and our inability to put country above self"? Are you sure that your criticisms are properly directed?
I'm not for a moment suggesting that there's no need for restraint or sacrifice. The solution to the problem won't come overnight, nor will it be solved by simply paying people more. However, it is the heights of hypocrisy to talk about responsibility and patriotism when all the SUVs, salary increases, club "shelling down", million-dollar phone bills, etc, are not also being addressed.
If this Administration wants cooperation from the citizens of Jamaica, it must also demonstrate a willingness to stand with us during our period of sacrifice. How about the police or teachers' responsibility to their families? Do their children not deserve a better life? Can they carry patriotism to the supermarket to pay their bills? I would think that, just like the rest of us, they too have mortgages, medical expenses, and school fees. Their cars also need fuel and must be insured. Their spouses would no doubt like to be treated to a nice evening out once in a while.
Not everyone has a connection to bail us out in times of need. Not all of us have an influential relative in government. I will end by leaving this saying with Mr Smith and his Comrades, 'Take the log out of your eye before telling me of the splinter in mine'.
R Jadusingh
Stony Hill, St Andrew
rjadusingh2@yahoo.com
Can't carry patriotism to supermarket, Bingy Smith
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