THE EDITOR, Sir:
I REFER to page A6 of The Sunday Gleaner of February 23 and particularly to the quotation of the Hon. Dr. Peter Phillips in which he used the phrase "little pensioner who lives by the rules" to exemplify "the man who gets shafted".
This inspired me to pen the following lines of would-be verse:
"SHAFTED"
Poor Little Pensioners
Tis a fact of life says the Minister
That in our fair Jamaica
The man who plays by the rules,
The little Pensioner, gets SHAFTED
Why should Pensioners be SHAFTED
when all we ever claim
or wanted
was Justice earned and Equity deserved?
Four and Thirty years
and more
of service public underpaid
By Law and preached morality
entitle us not merely to exist
but comfortable LIVES to LIVE.
What aids seek we in this our quest?
Fair national conscience and good faith,
and moral suasion
and realistic dialogue.
Neither sick-out, nor go-slow, nor wildcat strike
in our bargaining tools reside;
Nor any 'indexing' to hike
small pensions up by even tiny strides.
In penury, sick and suffering, we
by nature, habit, play by rules
of honour, service, truth,
integrity,
Though Rubaiyat-like, 'rewards' experts
dub us pipe-dreaming 'fools.'
'Tis true increases annually
last decade came our way.
But lately they've been tokens
not structured need or pay.
Yet others less deserving,
but with compelling sway,
on crops we sowed and nurtured
Extravagantly prey!
But Lo! Another moral light, another Hope we see!
Now newly named and
sponsored by the kindly Dr. P.,
Our law-abiding sufferers, till now alas the "shafted",
to heights of justice surely
should all be shortly wafted.
I am, etc.,
C. CLINTON DAVIS
President, Jamaica Gov't
Pensioners Association
