Yes, civil servants deserve salary hike - DK

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Friday February 25, 2011 00:00

 

This is despite President Ian Khama's statements in his numerous Kgotla meetings that the government had no intention to increase public service salaries.

Kwelagobe told Parliament yesterday that he was not worried about the President's pronouncements, saying he was hopeful that the negotiations between government and unions would yield something for public service employees.

The BDP strongman said the President, as a parent, would listen to what the employees want and ultimately strike a compromise by giving them 'something'. He said the President may ultimately direct that the Minister of Finance and Development Planning (Kenneth Matambo) look for money elsewhere and raise public service salaries.

'We are totally against the strike and I am hopeful that the negotiations that the minister referred to (in his Budget speech) would yield positive results. I therefore, encourage everyone to continue negotiating,' Kwelagobe said.

He emphasised the increment is long overdue as employees have been very understanding about the financial difficulties the country has been going through.

He criticised the way government handled the whole salary adjustment issue, saying that civil servants are raising a genuine complaint.

Kwelagobe was of the view that it would make a big difference if the government had put something forth when the negotiations with employees' representatives started. 

'Can you really go to the negotiating table offering nothing? Even if they were offering one percent that would make a difference,' he said.

Kwelagobe joins other MPs from both the ruling and opposition parties who have criticised government's failure to adjust civil servants' salaries for the past three years.