Local civil servants are having a hard time at the moment but this is no excuse for hijacking the annual turning on of the Christmas lights in Palma on Thursday night. A protest by 300 angry civil servants effectively meant that the municipal band could not be heard and the festive spectacle became more like an angry tirade against the local authorities. Now I know for a fact that hundreds of children look forward to watching this event every year and the fact that it was ruined is rather sad. The language used by some of the demonstrators wasn´t very family friendly either. Now local civil servants have seen their pay cut and this year there will be no double pay for them at Christmas . They do have a legitimate claim to protest. Now, I have no fight with doctors, nurses, police officers and teachers. They do not deserve a pay cut. But the so-called pen-pushers should receive the same treatment as their counterparts in the private sector who have seen their pay reduced severely since the recession hit five years ago. They are still paid more than their counterparts in the private sector and work far fewer hours. However, they are all entitled to protest. But next time it would be a better idea if they choose their protest spot better. Hijacking a popular festive event will not win them the hearts and minds of the population of Palma. In these hard times it would be nice to be able to celebrate Christmas without constant protests.
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