Madam Deputy Speaker, I thought I should respond on the matters that have been raised with respect to the educators and the strike, specifically the comments of the hon Boinamo. The hon member is fully aware that government is committed to improving the remuneration of the teachers in our country. It is for that reason that the across-the- board increase proposed comes along with an occupation specific dispensation that sets aside educators, nurses and other professionals in the Public Service from others who work within the Public Service. You've never had a dispensation that recognises that you actually have a profession and should be remunerated in terms of that particular status.
This is new and therefore when you calculate the overall package that an individual would receive, do not look at the across-the-board percentage proposed - look at the entire package and in particular this new Framework of Occupation's Specific Dispensation, because that is a new element in the payment of professionals within the Public Service.
I would also ask that the hon members take on board both the need to provide for these professionals to be recognised in order that we retain them in the Public Service, but also be alert to the kind of framework in the Public Service that government intends to create where you have adequate remuneration matched alongside the performance requirements that we have, because our task is to deliver to the people of the country. Therefore, the model that is put forward accommodates all these requirements and obligations that we seek to achieve.
I am sorry, Madam Speaker, that the other member who is the leader of one of the opposition benches left the House after making that populist speech. It is very nice to come and speak in populist terms and seek some cheap electioneering opportunity. [Applause.] What you have to do, is actually address the hard issues that confront the country. And, this is what we are addressing.
So, while it is absolutely vital to ensure that there is adequate remuneration and adequate recognition of the hard work that many public servants do, we cannot shy away from the need to ensure that alongside that provision, we build the Public Service that actually targets development and delivers to the people of our country. Nor should we shy away from being critical and mentioning, not here in popular statements, but out there mentioning that it is wrong that a child died; that it is wrong that a person in a wheelchair is hit over the head; that it is wrong that a mother is shot at when she goes to pick up her child from school and that it is wrong that a child's examination paper is torn up!
We shouldn't shy away from saying these things. It's absolutely normal in every society in the world that there are those workers who are labelled and in law set aside as essential workers. This is not foreign and it's something that we must all recognise and accept. [Time expired.] [Applause.]