187 Million in BackPay for Tobago Daily Workers

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) will pay out $187 million in arrears of wages to some 9,000 daily-paid employees.

Parliament has approved the $187 million to pay the workers their arrears in wages and cost of living allowances for the period 2011 to 2013.

However, the Ministry of Finance and the Economy has not yet released the money for the payment to be made to the workers. 

THA Chief Secretary Orville London said the Chief Administrator Raye Sandy has already issued instructions for the preparations of the necessary paperwork by accounting and auditing staff of each of the divisions of the Assembly..

The Chief Secretary also made it clear that all arrears must be audited and will take some time.

In a related matter, Secretary of Finance and Enterprise Development Joel Jack told Wednesday’s post-Executive Council media briefing that the Assembly has been receiving its parliamentary allocations late since 2010 and this was in breach of the Act. 

However, the allocation was received from the Ministry of  Tobago Development on Wednesday, although the THA Act states quite clearly that the money appropriated by Parliament must be paid en bloc and in       advance at the beginning of each quarter.

 “This is not just an inconvenience but results in the loss of interest income and at times has even led to increased cost as a result of overdraft expenses,” Jack said.

Source:trinidadexpress

New deadline of payment for Tobago Teachers

As the protest for non-payment of salaries continued on Wednesday, teachers picketed outside of the Calder Hall Administrative Complex where the Office of the Chief Secretary is located while some executive members of the Trinidad & Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) met with the Chief Administrator of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Dr. Ellis Burris at his office. Both sides tried to reach agreement on exactly when the Tobago teachers will be paid their arrears. The teachers are owed ‘backpay’ for the period 2008-2011. The meeting followed a protest held by TTUTA on Tuesday outside the offices of the Secretary Gary Melville and his Administrator, Ms. Allison Lawrence of the Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport (DEYAS) at Dutch Fort, Scarborough.

After the meeting, Second Vice-President of TTUTA, Orville Carrington said assurances were given by Dr. Burris that some payments could start by mid-July. However, Carrington said they were cautioned by Dr. Burris that challenges remained ahead in that only three auditors are working on the teacher’s pay sheets with more to be added and that releases from the Ministry of Finance have not been received to date.

Carrington said it was unfortunate, but as usual the blame always fall on the lack of resources in Tobago, be it human or capital. TTUTA’s Secretary, Peter Wilson stated that they are no more satisfied with the reason given based on the fact that the CPO reached the agreement last December and that payment was mandated to be paid by the end of June. There was ample time for the THA and the Division to have put the required systems in place to facilitate a timely payment of earnings to the teachers, he added. “We are going to maintain the pressure; that has to be our position, to ensure that they do, in-fact, start by mid-July and we are not going to relent in terms of the kinds of action or pressure that we could apply in that period” Wilson said. TTUTA President, Roustan Job said there have been past situations where certain government ministries had to be paid and night was turned into day to meet the deadlines so he is hoping that what was indicated to them on Wednesday will be honoured.

Source:tobagonews

Tobagonians Backpay by July

The more than 9,000 monthly and daily paid workers of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) who have been waiting for their back pay for several months will eventually receive it by the end of July.

Chief Secretary Orville London told an audience at the Bethel Community Centre on Thursday night that on Wednesday the Lower House of Parliament approved $222.8 million for the Assembly to make the payment. This sum will be added to the $83 million the Assembly received last month.

The back pay was as a result of the balance due to the workers for the period 2008 to 2010.

London said there has been a lot of misinformation put out in the public domain about the matter but assured that the money will be paid as soon as the Ministry of Finance released it. He added that members of staff in the various THA divisions have been processing pay sheets which will be audited in preparation for payment of the back pay as soon as the funds were received from the Ministry of Finance.

The meeting was the fourth in the series of the Assembly's Face to Face programme to involve Tobagonians in the governance of the island in the absence of a minority side in the House of Assembly and for the administration to get to know their concerns.

He said his administration was committed to respond to the concerns raised. He added: "This is about bringing government to the people. Everything that is being done is to facilitate but we cannot do it until you are prepared to be facilitated.

In presenting the plans for the Division of Community Development and Culture, Secretary Dr Denise Tsoiafatt Angus warned village councils that they will not receive funds in the next financial year if they did not get their accounts audited for the current period.

"If we are giving you public funds we need audited reports. In the next financial year we would need those reports before we disburse funds," Angus added.

Assistant Secretary of Community Development and Culture Assemblyman Ancil Dennis said seven Y Zones to provide computer training and internet facilities for the youth were being established across the island at a cost of $350,000 each while a mobile unit will service areas without one.

Secretary of Agriculture, Marine Affairs, Marketing and the Environment Assemblyman Godwin Adams said the seven play parks to serve children were operational and another seven will be established in the next financial year.

Source: THA site