“Do not touch the jobs or the salaries of public servants.”
This warning came from the President of the Public Service Association Watson Duke, who on Monday said that the PSA will fight for every public servant whose job may be at risk. Duke said the PSA is going even further in demanding an increase for public servants.
And he has also called for all public servants to take a “COVID day off.”
During a news conference on Monday, the PSA president took aim at the government’s spending patterns which he said indicated that the government can do better.
“We want Rowley to know, and Imbert to know, the fight is on, you make joke and cut staff, or cut salaries but notwithstanding that argument we looking for an increase.
“Don’t tell us you can’t afford it. We have looked at these vulgar people in Parliament engage in all kind of vulgar activities - soca on the seas, hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on paintings, three million vulgar projects. Trump sixty million dollar phone call.”
Duke’s issue came after Minister of Finance Colm Imbert painted a grim economic outlook for the country, saying that the government was forced to borrow money to pay public servants.
The Minister also warned that government could not afford any significant wage increases.
But yesterday, the PSA President said the country will have no choice but to return to the polls if public servants’ jobs or salaries are touched.
“We the people will call for an early election, touch them, all he has to do is touch them. Touch the public servants, you touch them and I guarantee we will force an early election,“ Duke said.
But Duke also urged public servants to let the Minister and government know they are taking the comments seriously and to show their strength by taking a COVID day off on March 2.
Meanwhile, Duke, who is also the political leader of the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) said while the party is willing to meet with the Prime Minister on the way forward concerning the current THA deadlock, he said Dr Keith Rowley is wasting his time and the parliament’s time.
He explained that the matter cannot be addressed by increasing the number of electoral seats. Duke said it’s an issue that should be solved by Tobagonians.
“The matter must be solved among us and we are willing to have a conversation with the other six PNM Assemblymen. But do not try to bully us with your parliamentary gimmicks. We are not taking you on with this stupid 15 seats, it illegal and we will challenge it when it becomes law.”