Caribupdate editorial
AT some point soon – current senator Ray Roberts must decide which master he is serving.
He either wants to continue to be the workers’ representative in the Senate; a trusted member of the social partners grouping advising government on economic policy; or wanna-be political candidate.
In recent weeks, Roberts has become the defacto fourth National Democratic Congress senator – instead of a voice seeking to defend the interest of workers in these trying economic times.
Roberts’ own political ambition might be getting in the way of why he was sent to the Senate in the first place.
As a citizen of Grenada, it is his right to aspire to whatever he wants to – only that he should not take the workers on a ride in the process.
By the nature of modern-day politics, one can accept the strident opposition to all the economic measures proposed under the Structural Adjustment Programme by the official opposition Senators – even if sometimes we would gladly like to hear their counter-proposals to the measures.
But it is another matter to have to stomach the rabid ranting of a so-called “independent” Senator.
In Barbados, 3000 workers have been sent home from the public service; in St Lucia the government there has proposed a five percent wage cut.
In Grenada, where the times are as difficult as in those places mentioned, the government has taken a considered policy neither to send any worker home, nor has it proposed any cut in salaries and wages.
In its place, it has proposed some new tax measures.
Now, we are sure there is big room for debate on if the proposals are the best in the circumstances. And, indeed, the nation should frankly have that debate.
What these times cannot afford, however, is the rabble-rousing that Roberts has led, without offering sound counter-proposals.
Sure, as the workers’ representative he would not propose job or wage cuts.
And as the workers’ representative he would obviously be interested in the welfare of the National Insurance Scheme – which operates mainly on money from workers.
Which brings us to the other curious point this week.
Roberts shared a recent radio interview with Nazim Burke (see report on page three), where they announced that government plans to ask the NIS for a 50 percent haircut as part of its entire restructuring of its debt stocks.He went on to advocate street protests.
The comment by Roberts sent us digging.
Wouldn’t this be a proposal to be brought before the civil society committee of which Roberts is a member? And what was his contribution to that idea?
As we understand it, it was an idea – and still remains an idea – that has been floated. It is not something the NIS board has considered, much less agreed to.
We are told by different sources that when the matter was brought up at a meeting of the committee – Roberts, the member – neither opposed nor supported it. He made no contribution on the matter.
And that is his right, if he so chooses.
But then, isn’t it a little disingenuous for him to go to the public suggesting it is a done deal? And isn’t it cheap politics to not to make your case inside, instead of outside – as a first go?
Or is it just a case that, maybe, Roberts is busy being NDC’s defacto fourth senator, and not the workers’ representative?
He has said in other fora that he supports the structural adjustment programme in principle.
Well, maybe the time has come for him to make some concrete proposals that will suggest that he also supports it in practice.
Trade union colleague Chester Humphrey recently said there are many in the movement that speak on both sides of their mouths about the SAP. But, effectively, they want it to fail so they can pursue a political – rather than a workers’ – agenda.
Is Roberts one of those?
