Members of staff under the Help Our People Elevate (HOPE) programme under the Ministry of Tobago have sought legal redress to have salaries owed to them paid.
The group, which has not been paid since last August, retained attorney Martin George to represent them.
Speaking at a press conference at his office at Bacolet, Tobago, yesterday George said the HOPE programme had been beneficial to Tobago and Tobagonians and it was something that should continue on the island.
He said all of the employees have valid contracts and the matter should be dealt with urgently.
“We are calling on the board of directors, which is headed by Dr Allison Williams, and we are saying you need to deal with this as a matter of urgency.
“There is no debate or discussion here. You have persons who are on contract. They have specific amounts they are supposed to be paid. They are doing their work, they must be paid and we need to have this resolved expeditiously. This is not a question for debate or negotiation,” he said.
George said the excuse given that the programme was awaiting monies from the Central Government was invalid since the individuals attended work religiously. He said the employees should be paid on time without any issues. He also called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to look into the matter.
“The months of September and October went by. They have not received payments, yet we are now into November and they have no word yet, so we are calling upon the Board, we are calling upon the authorities.
“We are calling upon the Central Government and the reason why the Central Government is important in this, in that regard we are making the call directly to our Prime Minister who is from Tobago, who I am sure would be interested to know that programmes for the benefit and the development of the people of Tobago are not stopped and are not cut short due to non-payment of the staff members.
“We are calling on the Prime Minister to ensure that the Attorney General does what is necessary to ensure this programme continues and that these people are paid their just due.”
George plans to issue a pre-action protocol letter on behalf of the employees.
Meanwhile, in an interview with the T&T Guardian, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister Tobago Affairs Ayanna Webster-Roy said non-payment of salaries and stipends to employees and trainees under the HOPE programme was a problem she inherited as a new minister. She said her portfolio was to assist the public and not to spite or victimise anyone despite popular beliefs.
“What I want to reassure is that once I got the approval that funds were released, I would have given the directive for the money to be made available to the company to pay the employees and the trainees.
“I want Tobagonians to understand what we are doing is not a matter of trying to spite people or victimise anyone. I have family who were on short-term and who are no longer working and they are my blood relatives but you have to do things according to the law, according to regulations and policies, that’s important,” she said.
Minister Webster–Roy said she was advised that funding was made available and she issued a directive to pay those affected.
She said people should be paid within two week. Questioned on the future of the HOPE programme, the minister said a concerted effort was being made to streamline what existed.
“We need to ensure what we do does not encroach on the rights and responsibilities of the Tobago House of Assembly.
“I have a portfolio that guides my operations and I have to work according to that, so in going forward in the future there may be some more changes to come but I want Tobago to rest assured that we are working in the best interest of all,” she said.
The HOPE Programme was established in the Ministry for Tobago Development under the former People’s Partnership Government. The programme was geared at training individuals in various skills, which would afford them CVQ certification.