Educator demands workers not be ‘scapegoated’ to maintain stable economy

WESTERN BUREAU:

The immediate past president of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools is taking issue with the Government’s economic policy, arguing that Jamaican workers must not again be asked to sacrifice in order to preserve stability while economic growth remains elusive.

Linvern Wright, who is also principal of William Knibb Memorial High School, in Trelawny, outlined his concerns in a Facebook post, following comments by Finance Minister Fayval Williams, who warned of the possible consequences of abandoning fiscal restraints on the public-sector wage bill amid calls from some sectors for improved salary offerings.

Williams, in calling for discussion on a new fiscal rule, pointed to Jamaica’s experience with wage freezes and cautioned that the absence of a fiscal anchor could leave the country vulnerable when economic shocks occur.

Wright, however, argued that the answer is not to return to measures that restrain workers’ earnings, but to build an economy capable of generating sustained growth.

BUILD ECONOMY

“What the Government needs to do is grow the economy through meaningful and targeted investment in education, high-end technology and industrial development,” he wrote, while dismissing the expansion of businesses selling imported goods as a shortcut that does little to strengthen Jamaica’s productive capacity.

“Giving people licences to open more stores to sell imported goods is cheap economics that guarantees minimal, if any, growth,” said Wright. “Not to mention cheap-labour BPO (business process outsourcing) centres and hotels that are exploiting our labour force by paying cheap wages to a high percentage of their workers.”

Wright further argued that successive administrations have placed too much emphasis on fiscal discipline while failing to tackle stagnant productivity and low wages.

“Our governments only boast of fiscal management, but we continue with low productivity and low wages,” he wrote.

Taking aim at the Andrew Holness administration, Wright argued that political leaders have failed to produce economic growth commensurate with the substantial increases received by politicians and senior public officials.

“How can the Government with any credibility demand productivity from workers in an environment where the prime minister and Parliament are not producing anything close to the increase in their own salaries?” he asked.

Wright also warned that Jamaica’s failure to invest in higher-value industries is driving away some of the country’s best-trained people.

“Our best educated are hardly staying because we do not invest in the types of technology and industries that keep them here,” he said.

He also insisted that elected officials, rather than workers, must shoulder responsibility for creating the conditions for economic growth.

“It is time we stopped asking the Jamaican worker to sacrifice to ensure stability in our economy, when we have elected people to work towards growth. Our workers deserve not to be scapegoated again,” he said.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com