17 SSA workers to be sent home

Nalinee Seelal

Seventeen employees of the elite Strategic Services Agency ( SSA) received termination letters last Wednesday for unexplained reasons and ten of their colleagues have been informed that they are next in line to be fired.

The sudden decision to send the 17 employees home resulted in affected employees signalling their intention to take the matter to the Industrial Court.

Some of the employees who spoke with Sunday Newsday said they were told a few months ago that they had to undergo polygraph tests after they were all told to resign and re-apply for their jobs.

All of the employees took the polygraph tests but were not informed of the results.

An employee said he was told the reason why a decision was taken to send home 17 workers in the first instance was because it was believed those employees appeared not to be totally committed to the SSA and Government.

Employees said the SSA is now being used as a political tool and only those who are favoured by some of the directors have been promised that they should not worry about their jobs.

Another affected worker said some of his colleagues who are not favoured by the SSA directors report for duty and are not given work.

They said they heard that attempts were being made to send them home but now that this has happened, they have decided to get together and take the matter to the Industrial Court. The workers are also claiming they are yet to receive backpay as well as other benefits. The SSA is under the stewardship of Colonel George Robinson who could not be reached for comment yesterday . The SSA, comprised of civilian and officers from the various arms of the protective services, is responsible for intelligence gathering and work closely with the Police Service.