Pay the people a pension they can live on
DOES anyone in the States really care about the pensioner and/or the people working for a minimum wage? Does someone writing in the Press saying the working class people are not listened to or a deputy saying we have let the people down really have an effect on what will happen in the future or create a listening platform that will lead to something changing? I would say ‘no chance’. Why do I say that? Because like the genuine people who are struggling, we have heard it all before.
Pensioners and lower-paid workers cannot go into any shop and pick something up whatever the price and just pay it knowing the money is only coming out of their bank interest. We have to shop around – and it is only when you shop around you see the way some shops and supermarkets are ripping people off. I have seen items priced a pound plus more in one supermarket from another for the same item. The trouble is because of greed the places not charging the dearer price see this and put their prices up.
It then comes to a point and attitude where they all think if you want it you pay – or do without. If the people running this island care so much about health – mental or physical – surely they should be looking at paying the people a liveable pension and forcing the minimum wage to be higher. On the mental health side, people are worrying themselves into a state of panic as to where the next penny is coming from and on the physical side we know a person without food in them will fall over. Take note all you people in charge, you cannot stand up an empty sack. It is time to stop telling us what we already know. It is time you did as you promised and looked after us. Remember we are not all on hundreds of pounds an hour. We are not all running businesses or have more money than we could ever spend in our lifetime.
But we are the people who built this island. We are the people who put the money in the pot. We are the hard-working people who worked to bring up our families and paid our way so we could hold our head up high and be proud. We are the people who voted you into power to look after us and our island.
It’s time you stepped up to the plate or got out and let someone in who will make this island and its people proud to be called a Guernsey person again instead of belittling us and leading us into poverty.
ROD HAMON
5, Rosemount
Mont Arrive
St Peter Port
GY1 2AF