Dear Sir,

This letter is in response to Mr Chris Famous’s letter in The Royal Gazette dated August 21, 2015 concerning the size of the Civil Service. First of all Mr Famous, thanks for the statistics.

The Civil Service increased by 1,139 people between 1998 and 2012, but you did not tell me or the readers the total cost to Government of these new employees, ie, salaries, healthcare costs, pensions, etc. Was Government so deficient in those services in 1998 that they needed 1,139 new employees to satisfy needs? I think not!

According to Bob Richards, 70 per cent of Government costs/expenditures per annum are our Civil Service salaries and benefits; that is why there is such a focus on them. Considering the Government cannot balance its current account, $200 million deficit per annum, that is why the focus is on the Civil Service.

Government has had to borrow $1.5 billion since the OBA came to office — unsustainable. Do you want a devalued or worthless Bermuda dollar? It’s coming if the Bermuda Government doesn’t change its ways fast and make the tough decisions.

Under my plan only civil servants making over $80k per annum take a 10 per cent pay cut, only civil servants making over $100k take a 20 per cent pay cut.

Any better ideas? I am all ears and so are the other Bermudian readers that care!

THE OBSERVER

Sandys