Dear Editor,
Well, here we go again, or perhaps I should say there 'they' go again. 'They' being the Government; this time Youth and Culture Minister Lisa Hanna who, according to media reports, is preparing to lead a delegation to an event hosted by UNESCO in Bonn, Germany from June 28-July 08.
A delegation?! As an overtaxed, underpaid, suffering Jamaican, whose salary has been frozen for over five years, and who has to struggle daily to pay bills and support a family, I have a few questions that I would like answered before you depart with this delegation.
Firstly, Madam Minister, how many people are in this party preparing to depart to Europe? Who is footing the bill for this trip? Is it UNESCO or us Jamaican taxpayers? Will you or any members of your party be staying in a luxury hotel or will efforts be made to select more modest accommodations? Are there limitations on the spending; ie prime rib steak and smoked salmon vs chicken?
In light of the finance minister's recent declaration that the country has no money to meet the increase being requested by the suffering public sector workers, how can you justify travelling thousands of miles for some ceremony? From all indications, we have made advances to getting on the World Heritage Sites listing, so being there in Germany will help how? Why does it take an entire delegation to attend this largely ceremonial event? If this meeting was in Haiti, would you still be going, and with a delegation?
You politicians like to remind us daily that we are a poor black country struggling to pass International Monetary Fund tests, you remind us that we have to tighten our belts for the betterment of the country, that we must make sacrifices for the good of Jamaica, blah, blah blah...yet you find it easy to announce that you are departing for all sorts of fabulous destinations, with a delegation no less! Don't forget the fact that it is the taxpayers of this country whose money you will be spending. The same one you fail to sacrifice for to give better wages.
Kindly answer these questions before your chauffeur-driven SUV arrives to take you to the airport.
Angie Stewart- Hardy
Kingston 10
angiessillyworld@yahoo.com
These 'foreign' trips
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Well, here we go again, or perhaps I should say there 'they' go again. 'They' being the Government; this time Youth and Culture Minister Lisa Hanna who, according to media reports, is preparing to lead a delegation to an event hosted by UNESCO in Bonn, Germany from June 28-July 08.
A delegation?! As an overtaxed, underpaid, suffering Jamaican, whose salary has been frozen for over five years, and who has to struggle daily to pay bills and support a family, I have a few questions that I would like answered before you depart with this delegation.
Firstly, Madam Minister, how many people are in this party preparing to depart to Europe? Who is footing the bill for this trip? Is it UNESCO or us Jamaican taxpayers? Will you or any members of your party be staying in a luxury hotel or will efforts be made to select more modest accommodations? Are there limitations on the spending; ie prime rib steak and smoked salmon vs chicken?
In light of the finance minister's recent declaration that the country has no money to meet the increase being requested by the suffering public sector workers, how can you justify travelling thousands of miles for some ceremony? From all indications, we have made advances to getting on the World Heritage Sites listing, so being there in Germany will help how? Why does it take an entire delegation to attend this largely ceremonial event? If this meeting was in Haiti, would you still be going, and with a delegation?
You politicians like to remind us daily that we are a poor black country struggling to pass International Monetary Fund tests, you remind us that we have to tighten our belts for the betterment of the country, that we must make sacrifices for the good of Jamaica, blah, blah blah...yet you find it easy to announce that you are departing for all sorts of fabulous destinations, with a delegation no less! Don't forget the fact that it is the taxpayers of this country whose money you will be spending. The same one you fail to sacrifice for to give better wages.
Kindly answer these questions before your chauffeur-driven SUV arrives to take you to the airport.
Angie Stewart- Hardy
Kingston 10
angiessillyworld@yahoo.com
These 'foreign' trips
-->