One day after National Reforestation workers protested for the second time over unpaid salaries, Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat is promising they will be paid by August 26.
Responding to queries from the T&T Sunday Guardian, Rambharat said pay sheets for the workers are being processed.
Some 2,300 workers have not been paid for six consecutive fortnights.
On August 12, after one group of workers sent out an appeal to Rambharat for their monies, he said the pay sheets were being processed.
Yesterday, he reiterated this, stating: “Pay sheets are being processed by the ministry. I have assured the workers that all payments will be completed by August 26, 2016.”
Asked whether the salaries will be paid in a lump sum or in increments, Rambharat said: “After each payroll is processed, payment will be sent to the bank, so it’s in batches.
“Reforestation workers have different pay dates. All are not paid on the same fortnight...so payrolls for each fortnight are processed and payment sent to the banks for distribution to accounts.”
On Friday, approximately 30 of the workers staged a protest on San Fernando Hill calling for their salaries to be paid.
They complained that they were unable to buy food for their families, pay utility bills, or buy books for the upcoming school term.