Public Service Union Says G.O.B. Will Still Employ, Despite Hiring Freeze

In a memo that was circulated by the Financial Secretary on Wednesday, the subject is adjustments and cost-saving measures.  While government has returned the ten percent that was taken away from teachers and public officers last year, it is also reinstituting housing, telephone and entertainment allowances for ministers and other senior officers.  Earlier today, News Five spoke with Dean Flowers, President of the Public Service Union.  His views on the hiring freeze, as well as the reinstatement of certain allowances are that they are both unnecessary.

Dean Flowers

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“We all know of course that if you were to read the circular and you were to believe that portion of the circular, it would be, of course, the farthest thing from the truth.  I am kinda surprised that the financial secretary would include that a freeze on hiring remains in place when I think the entire country knows that that was thrown out the door the day following the national elections.  I think we had, I mean we all know about the friends and cronies that were hired within the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as other ministries, within the Ministry of Finance, across the public service.  So there has never been a hiring freeze in the public service, never.  It was never instituted when it was first issued and to date it does not.  I mean, just recently there was a stir surrounding the creation of new posts.  The circular speaks about not creating any new posts and we all know that two posts were created, one for a retired minister and one for a an activist now turned political loyalist.  So that would be my comment on it that that portion of the circular is a joke.  The rest often circular, I believe, speaks to the realities of what we are experiencing.  A portion of the circular, of course, that rubs us the wrong way would be the reinstatement of the telephone allowances to ministers which we believe is uncalled for.”