Cyprus-Forum.com

[cyprusgeoff]

I look forward to Charlie's Soapbox every week because he isn't afraid to tell it like he sees it.

Did any of you read this from the Cyprus Weekly?




Civil gravy train

By Charlie Charalambous

The government has come up with a brilliant plan to save money. It’s going to politely ask civil servants if they wouldn’t mind stepping off the gravy train and suffer the ignominy of a freeze on salary increases.

This is the equivalent of asking someone who’s hugely overweight not to have a third helping of apple pie – it’s almost impossible. Telling civil servants to make sacrifices is no less painful than preventing someone from having an extra dollop of whipped cream and on a Starbuck’s venti caramel Frappuccino. So, is the government really that cruel as to force civil servants to go without when they already have too much? Such a state of affairs will have this privileged class crying over their 13th cup of coffee while ignoring phone calls and watching that pile of documents grow on the desk.

It’s not losing out on financial benefits that they lament but the horrid suggestion that the state might actually expect them to work for a living. How can bureaucracy survive if civil servants were expected to be efficient and produce a standard of service that actually produced results? The government machine working for the common man and not being a self-serving job creation scheme for political favours is rather a perverse concept. Telling public sector employees to go without a pay increase to save the country from going to the dogs isn’t very radical. There are too many pen pushers in public service who don’t deserve to be paid at all, never mind have a job for ever. That’s the bloody problem; you can’t get rid of these people even if they are absolute pants at what they do. Come rain or shine they are paid to be sick, go on long holidays, have a job for life, free health care, fat pensions and get plenty of overtime.

Back in the real world, firms are going bust; people are losing their jobs or having to endure pay cuts. What the government should be really contemplating is lancing the boil that has become the over bloated public sector where incompetence rules. Only in Cyprus is a boring civil servant revered as a role model.

The private sector is only for fools who stupidly believe that working hard brings its own rewards. It doesn’t. Just look at the overpaid ministry official enjoying the life of riley while you put the extra hours in to pay the rent. Everybody wants to join the civil service because it’s better than winning the Vegas jackpot. Working for the government is that special place you go to have a rest for several hours – okay, waking up early is a bummer – before starting your second job.

Obviously, some do a sterling job in keeping us safe and healthy but these workers are the exception to the rule. A lot of crap is said about improving productivity and performance levels of the public sector. Nothing is done because apathy has replaced the work ethic. Well how about operating services that serve the public at hours that suit the public like say the afternoons or actually offering advice and help on-line. This won’t happen because public servants don’t want to serve, they want to get home early and do something else. And the situation will continue for as long we tolerate it – like forever.
***********************************

Long may this man continue to comment and report.

[Floda]

cyprusgeoff, thank you for highlighting this article which is absolutely 'On the Ball' as far as the attitudes and efficiencies of the Social Services are concerned (in my opinion).

However, I must register a certain disappointment regarding my own expectations, when I read the heading 'This man tells the truth', I really thought that the title might be an introduction to George Galloway referring to some of the many statements made by him recently.

George Galloway has always (in my opinion) delivered his speeches in a manner which cannot fail to impress those prepared to consider issues outside of the 'Norm' and have the mental capacity to search for the truth (particularly in matters political).

I do wonder if Charlie Charalambous is subjected to the same (or similar) amount of disparaging comments directed at him by those he either exposes or criticises, as does George Galloway.

Whether or not one AGREES with George's perceptions, I think (again in my opinion) that he is unique among politicians in that he does invariably 'Tell the truth'.

Perhaps that is why he is constantly under fire from those who prefer the alternative route (and those naive enough to support them), it would seem that the old adage "The Truth Hurts" may well be significant in the cases of BOTH the aforementioned gentlemen.

Best wishes, whatever your own persuasions may be.

[Oracle]

I used to read some of his articles and then it became obvious all his themes are a little dated .... as though he summarises other reporters' articles from the comfort of his sofa.

And that's the truth! ....

[Lee A Kada]

[quote="Floda"]

George Galloway has always (in my opinion) delivered his speeches in a manner which cannot fail to impress those prepared to consider issues outside of the 'Norm' and have the mental capacity to search for the truth (particularly in matters political)
wink:[/quote

Agreed...........and the way he impersonates a cat is just awesome

[miltiades]

Not often enough it seems , this arsehole spoke in all 3 times in Parliament last year . Just see how much he claimed in expenses !!


"Mr Galloway turned up for just five per cent of votes, spoke in only four debates and submitted just three questions to Ministers. Despite this he claimed a total of £136,390 in expenses last year, including office and staffing.

Once his attendance, voting and speaking record was taken into account Mr Galloway ranked bottom in terms of value for money.

However, he rejected claims that he is one of the least hard-working MPs, contrasting himself with "backbench poodles with pagers who pipe up for any policy in order to keep in with their party whips and advance their careers".

Last year Mr Galloway was also paid £10,000 from the public purse in order to reimburse his friend and political assistant Ron McKay for setting up and running his constituency website and designing constituency leaflets.

The man appeals generally to losers , Floda is a good example !!
An arsehole if I ever came across one. What the fuck has this good for nothing done for the country ! He tells the truth does he , not about his bloody expenses it seems.
Floda , you are a fool.

[cymart]

Such as Nicos Rolandis,Yiangos Mikkellides,Makarios Droushiotis etc. when it comes to the Cyprus problem and life here,but some people really don't like it,especially those who have cushy positions among the establishment......
But in Russia and quite a few other countries, you can get killed for it and at least we haven't reached that level yet!!

[CBBB]

Such as Nicos Rolandis,Yiangos Mikkellides,Makarios Droushiotis etc. when it comes to the Cyprus problem and life here,but some people really don't like it,especially those who have cushy positions among the establishment......
But in Russia and quite a few other countries, you can get killed for it and at least we haven't reached that level yet!!

Relevance?

[Floda]

Not often enough it seems , this arsehole spoke in all 3 times in Parliament last year . Just see how much he claimed in expenses !!


"Mr Galloway turned up for just five per cent of votes, spoke in only four debates and submitted just three questions to Ministers. Despite this he claimed a total of £136,390 in expenses last year, including office and staffing.

Once his attendance, voting and speaking record was taken into account Mr Galloway ranked bottom in terms of value for money.

However, he rejected claims that he is one of the least hard-working MPs, contrasting himself with "backbench poodles with pagers who pipe up for any policy in order to keep in with their party whips and advance their careers".

Last year Mr Galloway was also paid £10,000 from the public purse in order to reimburse his friend and political assistant Ron McKay for setting up and running his constituency website and designing constituency leaflets.

The man appeals generally to losers , Floda is a good example !!
An arsehole if I ever came across one. What the fuck has this good for nothing done for the country ! He tells the truth does he , not about his bloody expenses it seems.
Floda , you are a fool.

An obvious response from YOU miltiades, one could expect little else since the gentleman in question is totally opposed to the underhanded and treacherous actions of those proven liars you worship so fervently.

I suggest you should pay a little more attention to just what George Galloway stands for (particularly in the affairs of the Middle East) and try to rid your addled mind of it's preconditioned negativity.

As usual, your contribution offers insult in conclusion, a sign perhaps that YOU are one who either fears the truth or prefers the alternative.

Such a shame for a man of your age (IMHO)

[bluelagoon33]

Spot on CyprusG.

[Free Spirit]

Not often enough it seems , this arsehole spoke in all 3 times in Parliament last year . Just see how much he claimed in expenses !!


"Mr Galloway turned up for just five per cent of votes, spoke in only four debates and submitted just three questions to Ministers. Despite this he claimed a total of £136,390 in expenses last year, including office and staffing.

Once his attendance, voting and speaking record was taken into account Mr Galloway ranked bottom in terms of value for money.

However, he rejected claims that he is one of the least hard-working MPs, contrasting himself with "backbench poodles with pagers who pipe up for any policy in order to keep in with their party whips and advance their careers".

Last year Mr Galloway was also paid £10,000 from the public purse in order to reimburse his friend and political assistant Ron McKay for setting up and running his constituency website and designing constituency leaflets.

The man appeals generally to losers , Floda is a good example !!
An arsehole if I ever came across one. What the fuck has this good for nothing done for the country ! He tells the truth does he , not about his bloody expenses it seems.
Floda , you are a fool.

Spot on as usual

For George Galloway see 'Rebel without a clue'!