The Christmas bonus: Are others not deserving of it?

Your right is to work only and never to the fruit thereof. Be not instrumental in making your actions bear fruit, nor let your attachment be to inaction.

Bhagavata Gita, Chapter II verse 45

Introduction
At the recent Army’s annual Christmas luncheon, the President announced a one-month’s pay as a Christmas bonus for the disciplined services, comprising the Army, the Police, the Fire Department and the Prison Service. This practice commenced under the administration of former President Jagdeo.

As I began preparing this article, two other related news items caught my eye. The first was a statement from the Minister of Labour that the five per cent increase the Government is offering has nothing to do with the demands of the Public Service Union. Rather, it is an independent initiative to ensure that public servants are financially capable of enjoying the Christmas season.