A contractor employed by the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) to clean three of its facilities, including the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH), has been forced to downsize his staff because the authority has no money to pay them.
Director of Premier Air Duct Cleaning Company, Ivor Reid, yesterday served 40 termination notices to staff, telling them their services will no longer be required effective today.
In the letters, dated yesterday, Reid wrote: “This action is as a result of the arrears in payments outstanding to our company, together with the decision to downsize the scope of services which makes your position redundant.”
Reid said he had a two-year contract with the SWRHA to clean the San Fernando General Hospitalland the Princes Town and Couva health facilities.
He previously employed 100 workers to clean washrooms, emergency department, car park, the yard, as well as providing napkins, soap, toilet paper and garbage bags. He said the contract was for $233,000 a month but he had not been paid since October 2015.
He said he mortgaged one of his properties to keep the company afloat but that money had run out and if the SWRHA did not pay him the over $930,000 owed to him this month, he would have to downsize further the 60 remaining staff members.
Contacted for comment SWRHA CEO, Anil Gosine, acknowledged the authority was owing Reid but disagreed the figure was in the $900,000 mark. He said it was more along the lines of $500,000. Gosine also said they have been making incremental payments to Reid, pointing out he received a cheque last week.
The CEO added he was unaware termination notices were being served to the cleaning company staff and he was not prepared to say what effect that would have on the sanitation of the hospitals until he spoke with Reid.