There certainly has been a healthy amount of reaction since you printed the regular opinion column by Brian Jones in the May 20 edition.
In it he expressed the view that public-service workers toil with zeal only about 50 per cent of the time.
Outrageous, and I agree with most of the letters in protest you have printed — letters are mostly the same size and shape, (longer than the usual), and that say more or less the same things.
Fine and dandy.
Jones got to express his opinion, the letter writers got to express theirs.
Now, I would be eagerly looking forward to Brian’s next regular column to see how he reacts. Apparently that is not to be.
Whatever took place behind the scenes, Brian Jones is no longer a Telegram columnist. How unfortunate as a continuing dialogue on the subject would be very worthwhile.
Worthwhile, because this province is in a financial pit so deep most dare not look down it. In the attempt to claw our way out, one of the groups that will be most carefully assessed will be our civil servants.
Not to see if people are working full-tilt 100 per cent of the time, but to see where cuts can be made.
It will happen. Services will be reduced.
Looking to the future, original thinking of the kind that often appeared in Brian Jones’ columns will be desperately needed.
His central tenant, that there has to be fundamental change in this province will now be born out in circumstances that not even he would have foreseen.
In the meantime, his public-service union brothers and sisters might well rethink their positions. Could the central players, including Jones, rethink their positions in the hope decisions that have been made might be changed and we will see his column continue?
Bob Oxley
St. John’s
