Two months after the 2008 Budget was unanimously approved by all members of the National Assembly, the Leader of Opposition Honourable Wavel Ramkalawan, in his reply to the State of the Nation address asked the government to make a decision and improve the living condition of the people of Seychelles by taking the firm step of revising the salary of all workers.
“The Government has to take a decision. With all responsibility I will say the government must touch on the surplus to give all workers a better salary at the end of the month. If the Government has been able to give the President, ministers, the speaker, MNA’s, the leader of the opposition, the leader of Government Business and all those appointed under the constitution a big salary without looking at the effect it will have on the surplus, it should also do so for all other workers”, Mr. Ramkalawan said in his address.
THE QUESTION PEOPLE ON THE STREETS ARE ASKING IS WHY is he talking about this now and not back when he was voting for his own fat salary? Even if the Government officials and himself included, as a responsible Leader, he could have opted to vote against it to show his support for the ordinary Seychellois worker. Mr. Ramkalawan was fully aware at the time that he was voting that ordinary workers were going to receive only increases ranging from R100 to R400 whereas he, himself was going to get raise of R9000 on his salary.
He could have salvaged himself then by not voting because he was well aware that even if he had voted against, the members from the SPPF would have all voted for the Budget and knowing that they are the majority in the Assembly, it would have been approved with or without his support.
COULD IT BE THAT THE THOUGHT OF RECEIVING SUCH A HUGE INCREASE IN HIS SALARY got his head spinning that he forgot about the poor Seychellois people whom he has now decided to try to fool again?
He also added that if the Government finds that it cannot go through with this offer then it should seriously think again about the huge increases in the salary for the other positions. Does this mean that he will be willing to share his own increment with those less fortunate?
SADLY MR. RAMKALAWAN ALSO SEEMED TO FORGET THAT THE PRESIDENt had earlier in the week stated in his State of Nation Address that the “Government is undertaking a study on a more global revision of salaries in collaboration with the Commonwealth .This salary will provide the general structure for all salary grades in Government”.
He also forgot to mention the various hotels which have still not increase their workers’ salaries even after reaping benefit of recent adjustment in the rupee.
The people of
IT IS SURELY TIME THAT SEYCHELLOIS REALIZE THAT IT IS NOT IN FIGHTING OR CURSING each other that things get better but it is by following open and honest dialogues that all good strength of character is attained and changes occur.