Salaries Of Politicians

The Editor,
Dear Mr. Editor:

SALARIES OF POLITICIANS

In your issue of 21st April, 2006, you reported the following: “House Members Salaries Increased – We Can’t Live on Pittance – CM”.

While I have no quarrel with politicians raising their salaries in times like these, I think they have made certain to see about themselves but there are many workers on the island who today, with all the successes of the economy, can hardly live on their take home pay.
Imagine up to now there is no minimum wage after all the election campaigning. I am disappointed with the Opposition members who raised the matter in their electioneering, but were silent on the issue when the Chief Minister outlined the various salary and allowance packages for all of them.
I would like to see the minimum wage put into effect shortly because many workers on the island are only receiving pittance wages and cannot live on their pay.
By the way, since writing this letter, I understood that the Chief Minister has promised a ten percent raise for civil servants. That’s good, but what about those workers in the private sector? Will the Chief Minister now ensure that the minimum wage is quickly drawn up and put into effect at the earliest opportunity?

(Name withheld at writer’s request)