Ex-Petrotrin employees paid

ENERGY Minister Franklin Khan says all former Petrotrin employees have received severance payments. “As I speak all workers on the Petrotrin payroll have been paid including the 1,129 non-permanent workers who qualify for ex gratia payments.”

He was responding to a question in Senate yesterday from Opposition Senator Wade Mark who asked what steps were being taken in light of claims made by several former Petrotrin employees that they have not yet received their severance payments. Mark then asked whether the severance formula outlined by the Prime Minister which increased the untaxed portion of the severance packages from an $300,000 up to $500,000 was being met. Khan said the matter will be addressed by Minister in the Ministry of Finance Allyson West but added Cabinet did approve the $500,000 tax free limit and will be effected later on. He explained the taxes were placed in an escrow account on behalf of the Petrotrin employees.

West in a later question told Mark Cabinet had approved the adjustment and legislative amendments will be required. She said the amendments will be brought before Parliament this month.

She also responded to a question from Mark about whether additional support had been put in place at the Board of Inland Revenue (BIR) to expedite the processing of BIR documents of former Petrotrin employees. West said BIR has redirected additional resources to address additional responsibility brought about by the Petrotrin exercise. She reported employees, including those permanently assigned to the position, have been working weekends and overtime to get the exercise completed.