What’s the real salary figure for University Graduates?

Editor: I refer to a news item on page 3 of the Friday, July 21, 2006 edition of your paper. The article is called, “Government to look at constructing town houses”.

In it, the Honorable Minister of Housing, Julian Francis spoke of the government’s plan to provide home-owning opportunities for university graduates. While I applaud this move on the government’s part, I am made to wonder about a particular piece of the information disseminated to the public by the Minister.{{more}} He said “We are, therefore, catering to that and want to make an offer to these young university graduates coming home who may get $3,600, $4,000 or $4,500 a month salary – let us build you a house”.

If there is any returning university graduate in this country making any of those salaries as commencing salary, could you please stand up? You see I am a university graduate with postgraduate qualifications (Master’s degree) and my salary, after tax, doesn’t even reach the $3,000 figure. And I know that I am not the only one. So what exactly is the Minister referring to? Is he speaking about persons working in the private sector perhaps? They are the only ones I know who stand a chance of making salaries like the ones he mentioned – not graduates working in government. Or is it that he wasn’t sure about the salary scales offered to returning graduates working in the public sector? And how could he not be?

You are encouraging returning graduates to expect the government to build homes they can buy, but have you seriously considered that government cannot afford to pay us adequately? Get the facts straight about the salaries government pays to returning graduates. So when you speak you can speak with authority. Let no Community College or Technical College or even current university students be fooled. You are not going to get salaries near to that upon your return because it’s just not the present reality… at least not working with government. So prepare for this reality if you are bonded to work with the government.

I hope for change but until then, I would appreciate if the Minister could be more realistic. Thanks!

Just wondering