Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen is calling for an end to what she describes as a “political football” surrounding delayed salary payments to Port of Spain City Corporation workers, urging officials to focus instead on ensuring employees receive their salaries.
Minister Ameen accused the Port of Spain Mayor of playing “political football” with workers’ livelihoods, as delays in salary payments continue to leave employees anxious about meeting their financial obligations.
“The unnecessary political bantering is affecting the workers. You’re not doing me anything, you know, because I continue to serve the people. You’re not affecting me in any way. You are affecting the workers.”
Minister Ameen is blaming the delay of salaries on the City Corporation’s failure to submit the required financial documents on time.
“All other Corporations who had documents to submit did submit on time, and their payments would go through smoothly. When we realised those documents had not been submitted, we contacted the Corporation. They submitted some of the information on Friday. Our Permanent Secretary and our staff have been working overtime, working over the weekend to sort out this matter with them. On Sunday, Port of Spain submitted some additional information. Unfortunately, there were errors in those documents.”
She described the delay as an act of negligence by the Corporation, but assured workers that the Ministry is working to complete the necessary approvals so that salaries could be released.
“It’s a simple case of negligence. My Permanent Secretary and I, and we at the Ministry, are working to ensure that the process goes through smoothly. I hope by the end of the day, I will be able to sign off on the documents from the auditors so that the workers will get their pay. I am also in contact with the union because I am very concerned that this negligence is affecting the workers, that this really has nothing to do with them.”
The Minister also accused POS Corporation officials of turning the issue into a political dispute, arguing that the prolonged delay is placing unnecessary financial pressure on workers and their families.
“They are jeopardising these workers by their delay and their public shenanigans, and I want to plead with the CEO and plead with the Mayor to stop playing politics with the workers’ pay. These are human beings. I am working with their union. I am working with the workers and our PS and staff are working overtime to correct this error caused by the delay of the Corporation.”
She noted that efforts have been directed at getting the outstanding payments to workers, while calling on the Port of Spain City Corporation to meet its administrative obligations on time.