Times Of Swaziland: IT WAS A WINDOW DRESSING EXERCISE – UNIONS

IT WAS A WINDOW DRESSING EXERCISE – UNIONS
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Sabelo Majola on 19/09/2019 08:52:00


MBABANE – It was a window dressing exercise.
This line best describes civil servants’ reaction to government suspending
Circular No.3 of 2019. Public sector associations (PSAs) are frowning upon the
move by government to suspend the implementation of the circular no. 3 which was
somehow a cost-cutting measure as it slashed politicians’ hefty allowances.
Argument
The circular, which was supposed to come to effect on October 1, 2019, cut
Constituency Allowances for senators as the argument was that they didn’t have
constituencies like elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and it introduced what
was termed an Inkhundla Outreach Allowance, which would have been strictly for
elected MPs, Indvuna Yenkhundla and Bucopho. It also recommended that
legislators should contribute to their medical aid. Swaziland National
Association of Teachers (SNAT) Secretary General Sikelela Dlamini frowned upon
the latest developments. He said the new circular was a window dressing exercise
which was not done in good faith. Dlamini thanked government’s honesty in that
the economic situation has ‘normalised’ and it can now afford to fund heft
allowances.
He said this meant that civil servants would now rightfully get the
cost-of-living adjustment as government’s body language suggested that there
was money in its coffers. “Reverting to Circular No. 2 means that government
has no grounds to deny civil servants the cost-of-living adjustment because
their body language suggests that the fiscal crisis is a thing of the past and
government has resuscitated the economy to the point that they can afford to pay
hefty allowances through the circular,” he said.
Preparedness
Dlamini said another indicator that government had the money was its
preparedness to spend in toilets that cost E78 million in the construction of
the International Convention Centre and the Five Star Hotel (ICC and FISH) as
reported recently.National Public Service and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU)
Secretary General Thulani Hlatshwayo said Circular No. 3 was nothing but a hoax
and government was buying the public’s eye, making the unions to be
irresponsible yet they (unions) were fighting for what was due to them.