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| Volume No. 1 Issue No. 37 - Sunday February 23, 2003 |
Public Servants On Strike
 by Thomson Fontaine
Public Servants in Dominica went into their third day of protest strike action on Friday. The fire and ambulance services, Customs, Canefield airport, schools and the Princess Margaret Hospitals were among the places hardest hit.
The government workers are unhappy with the proposal put forward by Prime Minister Pierre Charles to make several positions within the Ministry of Agriculture redundant and to ask Public Servants to work two days less each month.
Leader of the Public Service Union (PSU) Thomas Letang vowed to continue with the protest action until government withdraws its proposal. Acting Prime Minister Charles Sevarin however indicated that government was forced to take this action to meet the demands of international lending institutions notably the IMF.
Dominica is currently undergoing an economic stabilization program as part of an effort to secure continued funding from international donors for its troubled economy. A team from the IMF is expected in Dominica within the next few weeks to continue discussions on the program. It was not clear what effect, if any, the strike action would have on the government�s ability to continue to attract the support of the international community.
Meanwhile the PSUs Thomas Letang has threathened to broaden the strike by asking various interest groups and farmers to join in the protest action. Public servants who continue to work are also been called upon to join with the striking workers.
Attorney General Henry Dyer speaking at a news conference on Friday said that public servants were conducting an illegal action by withdrawing their services without there being a dispute. According to Dyer, the PSU is still negotiating with the government so their strike action is premature and illegal.
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