Premier Cox: BPSU Decision ‘Positive Step’
Premier and Finance Minister Paula Cox today [May 18] welcomed the decision by unionised civil servants to accept a new pay increase, saying it demonstrated “good faith” and would facilitate Government efforts to better manage public spending.
In a statement issued this morning after it was announced civil servants had overwhelmingly voted to accept the offer in a secret ballot last night, the Premier said: “We welcome the considered efforts of the Bermuda Public Services Union membership to agree to a 1.25% wage increase for the period October 2010 to September 2011.
“I see this as a very positive step as we look to move aggressively to reduce Government expenditures and live within our means.
“Our Ministers and Members of Parliaments since 2009 have been under a wage freeze and this modest wage increase of 1.25 percent for civil servants shows good faith on the part of the BPSU membership, and recognition for the difficult global economic conditions that still exist today.”
“As I articulated in my Budget 2011/12, the Bermuda Government must take appropriate steps to effectively manage its expenditure as we transition from one of the most severe shocks to the global financial system to a slow economic recovery.
“As we traverse this ‘new normal’ together, we in Government welcome the prospect of working more effectively with our civil servants to collectively tackle the challenges ahead. Bermuda needs the Bermuda Government and its civil service to be exceptional.”
Cox has every reason to be be pleased. Now she and the other politicians will no longer be bothered by BPSU calls for them to take a salary reduction.
I find it very interesting that when premier Cox suggested that if she took a paycut then she would expect the senior civil service to do likewise.All of a sudden they vote overwhelmingly to except the pay increase. They did not like having to practice what they preach!
Amen!
Well Done Mrs. Premier. I havent always agreed with the PLP ..or the UBP and BDP for the matter. I try to focus on “the person” and their intentions and motives and I must say that as a small business owner, a home owner, a Bermudian and someone who is married to a non Bermudsian I must say that for the first time in quite some time I can say that I am happy with the person piloting the ship known as Bermuda. I believe you see the “Big Picture” and understand that politics should not be about power, fame and fortune. A great leader is one that leaves their country in a better position than when they found it. If you retired today you would in my books already rank in the top 5 of all time. I may not agree with everything that you do since not everything will benefit me directly but as long as I see progress for all and fairness in your decisions…you have my support.
Really? So the gross mismanagement of our finances is forgotten about already ? The buses and ferries are still not running because WE CAN’T AFFORD IT AS A COUNTRY. This was done under her watch of the purse. Every capital project undertaken by this government has massively run over budget with the same cast of characters getting rich and this was done under her watch. She could have stopped it at anytime but didn’t. We like to comfort ourselves with the lie that we are in financial difficulties because of the “recession” but it is just that ……a lie. That is tantamount to saying that all of our illnesses are caused by “stress”. The recession did not cause us to overspend on construction projects, neither did it put us in a position of borrowing to keep the lights on. Our issues are very much self inflicted. I suspect that the bar of expectations is set so low that anything remotely resembling success is held up high like a golden trophy. I am honestly confused as to what criterion you are using to rate the Premier such that you are placing her in the “top 5 of all time.
Thank you Bermuda Government and the B.P.S.U. for co-operating on behalf of the Bermudian Population….!As a proud member of the B.P.S.U. and now a senior citizen benefiting from all the hard work of the Joint co-operative efforts of my ex union and my Government…I applaud you both for working in unison together….you both make me Proud to be a Bermudian…….!