Dillon: Soldiers to be paid in two months

NATIONAL Security Minister Edmund Dillon says the soldiers who provided relief to hurricane-ravaged islands will receive their per diem payments in two months.

He was responding to a question in Senate yesterday from Opposition Senator Wade Mark who asked about 86 soldiers who had not yet received their per diem. According to an article in Newsday on Thursday 68 soldiers who helped deliver relief items last year to Antigua, Barbuda and Dominica following Hurricane Maria and Irma were yet to receive their millions of dollars in per diem. The period worked was for 77 days from September 20 to December 5.

Dillon responded the processing of per diem for soldiers represented Trinidad and Tobago in relief operations in Dominica would be paid to them within the next two months; no mention was made of Antigua or Barbuda.

“Can the honourable minister explain why since this development took place a few months ago it taken so long for these soldiers to be paid their per diem?” Mark asked.

Dillon responded that the process takes place at the Defence Force which was still ensuring that all that is required is done to submit the necessary proposal to the national security ministry. Mark asked if it was normal for it take months for soldiers enlisted to provide services to other countries to receive their remuneration. “It is not a normal practice but each situation is treated on its own merit.”