Robinson-Regis: 13,000 vacancies at government ministries

LEADER of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis has reported more than 13,000 vacancies at government ministries. She was responding to a question in the House Wednesday on behalf of the Minister of Public Administration.

She said based on the information from 22 ministries there are 6,505 vacancies in the permanent establishment as at March 2019, and the number of vacant contract positions as at March 2019 was 6,517.

Caroni East MP Dr Tim Goopesingh asked if there were any attempts by the Public Administration Ministry to fill these vacancies, and if so, when. Robinson-Regis said the ministry is always working with the Director of Personnel Administration to fill vacancies and this is an ongoing process.

Earlier in an urgent question, Robinson-Regis responded to a query about reports that workers of the Reforestation Programme had not been issued salaries for the past three months. She said the ministry had requested funding to pay the workers from the Finance Ministry and the ministry was working on approval. She added all pay sheets had been processed.

Naparima MP Rodney Charles asked the reason for the delay and Robinson-Regis replied that it was due to documentary approval which was sent to the Finance Ministry as a result of the existence of “so-called ghost workers.” She said these ghost workers have troubled the programme for an inordinate length of time and an audit was necessary to ensure contractors had hired the people they said they hired.