Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 26, 2016 (SKNIS): The Honourable Vance Amory, Premier of Nevis and Minister of Labour in the Federal Parliament, is urging citizens to take their jobs seriously and embrace the practice of a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay.
“As Minister of Labour we are challenged by so many problems in labour relations in St. Kitts and in Nevis because people feel they have an entitlement to a job [and] an entitlement to work, but they don’t have a responsibility to give honest work for the money they expect to get,” said Premier Amory, while appearing on the second in a series of town hall meetings dubbed “Discussions for Prosperity” at the Newtown Community Centre on Monday, July 25.
The Labour Minister appealed to persons within the workforce to think about this issue seriously because the taxpayers are the ones who will suffer.
“When we have to deal with the taxpayers of this country and we have to find money to pay people who are underperforming, but who are demanding high wages [and] who are demanding that you can’t touch them, it is you the citizens who pay the wages of these people,” said Minister Amory. “And if they are shortchanging you then we have to give an account to you and say to you that this cannot continue.”
Premier Amory noted that the Government cannot continue to encourage or support such behaviour, as it is accountable to the people.
“When the Government’s revenue falls into deficit, when the Government can’t raise money to pay its bills, when the Government can’t find money to pay for fuel for electricity, when the Government can’t find money to repair roads or to provide for the health services, [it has] to now go back and think about providing an increase in taxation on you the people of St. Kitts and Nevis,” said the Minister, while adding that what he is saying is not to be taken lightly. “And it is not political, it is governance that we are talking about. When the Government has to pay more because people are not performing and the Government then has to find and make up the shortfall, it is to the people we turn.”
He made a sound plea for all to take the issue of work seriously and to be more productive citizens.
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