Speaking on the hiring of a foreign expert in the Police Department, our new Prime Minister commented that he was only being paid $6,000 per month. Clearly, the educated elite live in a different world from the rest of us. $6,000 per month can hire 10 heads of households in Belize at above the minimum wage rate.
A bill was discussed in the House the other day that would allow retired public servants to collect on their pensions if they are rehired from the public purse. I wonder if the new government understands (or cares about) the message it is sending to the 40% of us who are living in poverty. Paying anyone double salary when 40% of our people don’t make $600 per month is not good for the eyes. IF there is a certain rocket scientist, or brain or heart surgeon around, and we need their services, we should pay the man or woman. But as the rule, public servants who are needed back in the system should not cream off on the double.
The main party in Opposition, the PUP, has said that the primary reason the new GoB is changing the law is to satisfy Honorable Manuel Esquivel. H. Esquivel was trotted out (no offense) quite often in the run up to the ’08 general elections, so everyone knew (or strongly suspected) that he would form an important part of the new government. I don’t care for his management style (too tight on the reins, not much creativity), but his integrity is intact, and he has a large following. I see his Ministerial rank deserved.
H. Esquivel is a politician, not a true public servant. He is a breed of entrepreneur hired by the public sector to do a job. If we think they do great, we re-hire them when their contract expires. If we suspect them of teefing, or judge them incompetent, we fire them. Because we give them a pension from the public purse, these hybrids are considered public servants.
There is the argument that private sector person hired to do work in the public sector is not asked to forego their benefits. There is this confusion about that there is equality between the public and private sectors. True, there are some public sector employees that can function as well or better than their counterparts in private business. But there are major differences. Yap, the public sector animal and the private sector animal are not the same beasts.
Compared to the private sector, the public sector is a soft spot. There’s lots of protection for public sector employees. The private sector employee prays every morning that his or her boss doesn’t wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or there isn’t a dip in the price of the commodities their business is selling. 15th and ending is far less secure for the private sector employee, and for the owner of the business sometimes they have to compromise personal values (bow to politicians, do shady things) to make the wage bill. There are a few public servants who are naturals for the private sector, workaholics, but for the most part they avoid the crazy stress. It’s a different world out there, Braa.
There is the argument that 55 is too young for the public sector to be putting people out to pasture. The argument has been forwarded especially in the teaching profession, where there are never enough dedicated, talented teachers.
I think that teachers, if they are good, and have the energy, they should keep going. As for good managers, they are worth their weight in gold. If you see the mark of greatness in a retired public servant, you have to try and get him on board. But, they should be hired as consultants, not as hands-on managers.
There are pros and cons here. The overriding matter is the message it sends to the 40% of us who can’t meet the bills in a modern economy. We know the educated elite are in a soft place, and maybe they deserve it. But you can’t expect people who are hungry to clap when they see others with two plates. If you are giving big salary, suspend the pension.
When “my” party gets completely fed up, and takes over the country, the retirement age will stay at 55…with a clause to keep excellent teachers up to their 65th. Retired public servants with special expertise will be rehired…but only part time. They will keep their pension, and beef up with a tidy stipend.
The UDP is a conservative party. People who have savings, love conservative. The UDP must revisit ‘93 to ‘98 and a half (government of Esquivel and Barrow). They inherited a small debt burden in a stable world in ‘93. Their way forward was to tighten the reins…and fire people. If you want to know how many they axed, ask the party that just got the tarjeta roja for their ten years of wickedness. Five and a half years after the UDP got the wheel, the economy had ground to a halt.
To kick start the economy in 1998, Honorable Said Musa and Mr. Ralph Fonseca borrowed money at unfavorable rates, and sold us to foreign entrepreneurs. That sent us down you know which creek.
The UDP 2008 inherited a large debt burden complicated by oil prices spiraling to the stratosphere. In respect to the new budget they are working on, oh yap, they will do their consultations. But no one has faith, after all the disappointments, that anything (besides show) will be there for the poor. We know where the money goes. The money will go where it always goes. The haves will have the lion’s share of it. Suspend the pension.
P.S. I have heard that some of these pensions are quite fat. If the pension is as big as the pay, why work, unless you are feeling charitable? Hey, faulty arithmetic does not only appear on the PSE exams. There are obvious flaws in the system. As per the way we do it, we’ll take forever to fix them.