Tonight you have heard much form the unions and the government about the proposed 10% salary cut. On Tuesday, the Leader of the Opposition weighed in on the subject. He first highlighted the efforts his Party made to avoid such a political disaster, telling us that the spending power of such a large sector is necessary to stimulate a sinking economy.
Faber also discussed how things might have been different if the UDP had won.
Hon. Patrick Faber - Leader of the Opposition
"The truth is that what I want people to appreciate firstly is that the actions made by the former Prime Minister and the UDP administration did not come easy. When it was that Mr. Barrow said listen, no matter how difficult things become we will try to preserve the salaries of the public officers."
Jules Vasquez
"I think he said I, I mean he said for his tenure of leadership. I don't think he said the UDP would."
Hon. Patrick Faber
"But I didn't say that I said back then, I said was, I said I wanted people to appreciate what happened from then, that is what I said."
Jules Vasquez
"Ok, Good."
Hon. Patrick Faber
"I said we would try, and I was a part of that administration so you can't expect me to divorce myself at least not from that, there may be things I want to disassociate myself from indeed, but there was a tremendous effort on the part of the UDP to ensure that those teachers and public servants did not lose their salary. There was the mindset undoubtedly that in order for things to keep floating in the economy that we would have to maintain the public service which I believe has, public service and teachers in excess of 20,000 employees. So, we're looking at monies that will help to keep the economy afloat, and that was the UDP's position and still is if there is a way."
