We also asked the Acting Prime Minister about yesterday's 4-hour meeting with the leadership of the Joint Unions Negotiating Team. As we told you, the two sides have begun detailed discussion and analysis of the country's economic performance and recovery over the last few months.
For the union - it is with a view to finding out when their 10% pay cut can be reinstated. When the 10% pay cut and increment freeze was implemented, government agreed to these frequent reviews. And that, if and when it was financially feasible, that pay cut would be discontinued.
As the Government's lead official in these talks, we asked Hyde for his perspective on how it went:
Hon. Cordel Hyde - Acting Prime Minister
"Well, I thought our meeting went well. We usually have very fruitful, very cordial, [and] very frank discussions. Yesterday was a short meeting by our standards."
Reporter
"Short?"
Hon. Cordel Hyde
"Yes, four hours is short for us. We used to go to six-seven hours, usually long and intense meetings. Yesterday was a short, 4 hours. We shared a lot of information with them to see where we are right now and where we project to be by the end of the financial year. We've outperformed our budget estimates, I think impressively so. I think we are moving in the right direction. We are not out of the woods yet, but the numbers look good and it's for them. We promised a year ago that we would not keep the salary adjustment any longer than we need it to be. Annually, we would review and analyze the numbers with a view to returning to the status quo ante, as soon as is possible. And so, yesterday was the start of that process in earnest. They have the numbers; we've given them a lot of information. They will probably want more information, but we are supposed to meet in three weeks' time, and we're supposed to have a really good meeting then."
Reporter
"Sir, what are your - having seen those numbers, tell us your perspective on how well the recovery is going."
Hon. Cordel Hyde
"Well, I think the numbers look good, but I don't want to get ahead of ourselves. I think in 3 weeks' time, it will be clear to all of us exactly where we are now, how much we can do, and where we can go. But, you know, I'm the eternal optimist man I know. I never look at the glass half empty. I always look at it half-full, and I always see possibilities where there may not be. But, the numbers look good. I don't want to get ahead of ourselves."
Reporter
"So, maybe they don't get the 10% immediately, but maybe in tranches. You get five and then back to ten."
Hon. Cordel Hyde
"You're insisting that I get ahead of myself (laughs). 3 weeks. 3 weeks."
