LETTER writer Derek Martin (The Press, July 10) jumps to a lot of assumptions that I would imagine he has no way of verifying.
His first mistake is to suggest that people who are writing to The Press for an increase in public service (not civil service) pay “are from teenagers, who have no idea what they are writing about”.
I challenge him to prove his claim. I am unaware of Mr Martin’s age, but I ask him if he has ever been a teenager with a view he wished to express.
He states that “there are over five million civil servants” and “the majority of these are pen pushers”.
His use of the term pen pusher is a rather condescending description of a vital resource to the smooth working of a civilised country.
In relation to Imphal Barracks, he asks the question as to “why are 750 civilians needed to look after about 200 soldiers?”. According to The Press (November 8, 2016) at Imphal 365 civilian jobs would be lost.
Mr Martin continues to ask the question as to “where do the critics of the Government’s pay cap think this money will come from?”
The answer, Mr Martin, is that nothing in life is free and the sooner that people and governments realise this fact the better a country and world we will live in.
If taxes have to be increased, so be it.
Howard Perry, St James Place, Dringhouses, York
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