We are not public servants we should be called public servers

EDITOR: Gone should be the days that we hear the name “public servants”. The Deputy Prime Minister Sir Louis Straker and others who spoke at the public service church service reiterated that we are “public servants”. At least he stressed his appreciation of the work that “public servants” have been doing over the years and this must be commended.

While receiving my blessing and giving God praise for his forever faithfulness, I sat down and wondered – if we are “public servants” then, who really are our bosses? Some of our bosses appear to be slave drivers – no matter how much effort is being executed from their “servants” on a daily basis. If w appears as though we are not occupied it seem they conclude that we are idling. Is slavery still alive today in St. Vincent and the Grenadines or is it that some “servants” refuse to balance rest and work because they are tired? It is that some are fed ,up and looking for different pathways but find none, or for are some afraid of even making the right choice?

We are not “public servants”, we serve and what we do some of us do it well. If we are being treated as “servants” we will become tired, frustrated and lack the passion to perform our daily duties and responsibilities.

I believe that’s why some of us, like myself, are in the same position for over 19 years. Is it because we are indeed “public servants” and our bosses allow us to work as “servants” not deserving of anything else? We stay under our sycamore tree because we can rely on it for our livelihood – but can’t we do more, make more and achieve more?

I really enjoy the service and let me tell you, the message was one of upliftment and the public service choir’s singing was dynamite. I begged that our bosses would really see us for who we are and elevate us from being just “public servants” to servers, as we continue to do our work with pride under our sycamore tree.

So next year celebration, give us the name we so rightly deserve – “public servers”.

Yves Gittens