The Grenada government has come in for criticism after it failed to pay August salaries to public servants on time.
A brief government statement over the weekend gave no indication when salaries would be paid and Finance Minister Nizam Burke is in Trinidad on official business.
But the Tillman Thomas-led administration has promised an update on the situation later this week.
"I want to express my own empathy with the circumstances of these public workers," said former tourism minister Peter David, noting that there already exists high unemployment in the country.
"(It is) a sad day when that happens," he added.
The main opposition New National Party said teachers were forced to begin the new school term on Monday without salaries.
"This crisis will put a damper on the start of the school year as both teachers and students are being directly affected," said NNP's shadow education minister Delma Thomas.
"Many parents have said they cannot send their children out to school on the first day of the year," Thomas said.
This is the second time this year that the estimated 4,000 public servants have not been paid on time.
In June, there were similar concerns after public servants salaries were delayed by a week and several employment projects suspended due to a lack of funds.
"It was quite unfortunate that we didn't have the regular pre-opening of school de-bushing programme that provides an income for many" said David, who resigned from Thomas' cabinet in May amidst internal wrangling.
Media reports in Grenada say the government is considering borrowing funds from the National Insurance Scheme to pay public servants.
Source: jamaicaobserver.com
as always bro.gabe,it is always my pleasure to read your postings as well.you have stuck to your guns about the ndc government,that they deserve a fair chance to put the country back on good economic footing.as much as i criticize ndc at times,the prime minister has stuck to his committment of fiscal responsibility.this is a rather risky move as it gives the opposition ammunition to attack the government to do more.at times i have given the opposition credit for holding the goverment responsibility to ensure checks and balances.however there is so much one can do with limited resources.the prime minister last speech, he mentioned the past few years the millions the goverment had to repay for bad money management during the last goverment.my point is that as much as we criticize the ndc for some of their policies,we have to also hold the nnp accountable for some of the financial mistakes they made while in office.it is due to some of these mistakes why the present goverment has difficlties meeting some obligations.as for the prime minister,he needs to find a way to pay the workers or he will risk losing more support.
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By: stallion 9/11/2012 12:21:37 PM
Morning Bro. Nutmegfarmer and Bro.Stallion greetings and once again it is with great pleasure that i look forward to reading you guys contributions to this forum telling it as it is with a degree of hard hitting comments aimed at both parties but without any malice and its contents is focus on the happenings here in grenada because brothers for too long some of our grenadian people were used to be led into the ballot box by promises of we can do this and we can do that for you without the politicans telling us how the hell they(the counrty) is going to pay for it without properly educating our people for example whats in the mandate,what policies are in place to look after the long term econmonic future of our country without having to put our country in all sort of financial straight jacket by wheeling and dealing with foreign countries who may in turn hold us to ransom when we fail to pay back due to the high interest and therefore our government has to be prudent in is financial management and at the same time meets with its commitment to pay the workers their due salaries because for every person employed be it in the private sector or with government,it is fair to say has down the line a knock on effect on the family for example a child at school or an elderly person to feed/care for and we never go back to thoes bad old days living from hand to mouth and depening on hand outs from vested interest politicans depending on which political party one votes for.
one love
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By: gabe 9/11/2012 6:34:40 AM
Gabe: I reinforce your comments that this is not an NDC specific situation, but a problem NNP experienced as well. What is utterly despicable here are gutter attempts to politicize the suffering of loyal grenadian workers.
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By: nutmegfarmer 9/10/2012 5:59:28 PM
greetings everyone.it is a very distressing situation which the government find itself in.i must still give the ndc government credit for meeting some of its obligations.remember,when the nnp was in office,they left the country in quite a huge debt which has to be repaid.i find it somewhat hypocrital of nnp to say the goverment mismanage that money.in 2007 nnp went through the same sort of financial cris as ndc.however,in saying that,i feel the pain some families are going through for food and to pay bills.mr.prime minister,please pay those workers that continue to do a great job day in and day out.peace.
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By: stallion 9/10/2012 1:09:33 PM
Pastor let me agree with you on certain aspect of your posting (THE Teachers/Workers Pay) and it is this ,yes the present ndc administration is failing by not meeting their obligation re the monthly payement to the teachers and other bodies but please Pastor dont get political and behave or give the impression that this is a new situation here in grenada unless people in your party the NNP is currently suffering from a mental blockage because if memory serves me i can remember when your party was in power they too were suffering from the same disease like this government has not enough money in the kitty and so pastor lets go back and look at what this government had to do to get our country back unto the world wide acceptance fold after the mess left behind by your party example -and here is a few examples the high balance of payement,an agreed repayment to that foreign government who had taken our government and our country and our people to the new york court as a result of your party bad crooked financial dealings so dont come unto this forum and preach a gospel about caring when you and your party were responsible inpart created some of the current mess politically and financially that grenada is plagued /inherited today,you guys have got short memories.
one love.
Pgs
