Dear Editor,

It is quite evident that the Government of Jamaica undervalues the efforts of members of the public sector. A seven per cent increase is “blatant foolishness”.

Dedicated individuals are up for hours in the maternity ward and emergency rooms with heavy bags under their eyes from a lack of sleep and all they get is a seven per cent increase with poor benefits.

Honourable Finance Minister, since passing all the International Monetary Fund tests and increasing the level of dependency on loans, the “one-way politics” has become obsolete and inadequate. The Government needs another strategy. As typical Jamaicans would say, “It nah go no weh! Dat flap!”

The meager seven per cent increase cannot sustain workers in an economy where the devaluating dollar has killed spending power. The prices of items keep moving without any accompanying pay increase to sustain a normal life. It is unrealistic for us to say that teachers, police, nurses will give 100 per cent when they earn so little. We need a change; some kind of solution to give us hope. How can this be the state of affairs and yet at the end of the year we expect an increase in CXC passes and the number of college graduates, as well as reduction in crime.

I propose that the PM really take into consideration the advice of the Opposition leader to appoint a czar to advise her. It is evident she is running a laissez-faire economy, where ministers get absolute freedom to do whatever they want without counsel before acting, or reprimanded by any leader when missteps are made.

Jamaica is sinking; we need another captain with a crew that can sail us in the right direction.

Shamar Foreman

St Catherine High School

shamarforeman@gmail.com