Members of the Maxi Taxi Concessionaires of T&T said yesterday they were happy to receive an outstanding payment of their salaries but the Ministry of Education is still owing them an arrears.
The concessionaires received a payment on Thursday after protesting the non-payment of salaries in November and December last year.
Before Christmas, the drivers stepped up their protest outside the Ministry of Education on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain.
Education Minister Anthony Garcia met the drivers and promised them that every effort was being made to pay them as soon as possible.
A media release from the Ministry of Education said yesterday that Garcia stayed true to that promise and ensured that his ministry secured the necessary financial releases from the relevant ministry so that the approximately 300 concessionaires could receive their payments before school reopens on Monday.
“On Thursday, the Ministry of Education handed over a cheque to the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) to facilitate these payments. The PTSC is the organisation which contracts these concessionaires who transport children to and from school on a daily basis, the release quoted Garcia as saying yesterday.
Garcia also said the maxi taxi operators provide a critical service and expressed his gratitude for the patience exercised, considering the prevailing stringent economic conditions.
But president of the Association Maxi Concessionaires Rodney Ramlogan said the ministry released one month’s payment which is for the month of October.
Ramlogan said he was happy with the payment but disappointed with the payment pattern.
“Christmas and New Years we went without money. We eat humble pie and while the minister and the management of PTSC were happy we had to suffer and keep quiet,” he said.
Ramlogan said the ministry claimed that September’s payment will be made to the drivers next week.
“And the only way to confirm this is if you see your money in the bank. They doing this to buss up they gums to look good,” Ramlogan said.
He said Garcia was using this payment to “mask the ministry look good.”
“This is the second time they did this. They owing seven weeks payment. Every two weeks we are supposed to be paid. How we are going and get paid for this term if we still in arrears. The minister not talking about that,” he said.
Ramlogan said he has been asking the PTSC and the ministry for a memorandum on the payment of the salaries.