Traffic wardens relieved at being paid

Staff of the Traffic Warden Division of the Ministry of Works and Transport felt relieved – yet still anxious– on Tuesday when they received their outstanding salaries.

Last week, several traffic wardens contacted Newsday to highlight their dissatisfaction over not having been paid for the past three weeks.

One employee, who did not want to be named, called on those responsible for preparing the cheques to do all the paperwork on time.

“Today is August 13, and some of us now got paid. The rest of workers might have to wait until this afternoon before their money can hit their accounts.

“I feel relieved, but yet frustrated. The the month is going to end in a while, and I am praying we don’t have to go through this again.

"If they do what is required, everything will fall into place.”

The employee called on both the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Ministry of Finance to stop "playing the blame game" and ensure workers are paid on the assigned date.

Another worker said while he was happy his salary had been credited to his account, he will now have to pay back money he borrowed.

“When they pay us late, this is what happens. People end up in more debt. We don’t really have a choice but to borrow money to travel to work and buy food to eat.

“If the right thing is done, no one will have to complain or take it to the extreme and be frustrated about not having money. When people perform their duties, we expect to be paid on time.

"This is unacceptable and the ministry must work harder to alleviate the issue.”

Another worker, who only gave her name as Shelly ,said the ministry needs to take the workers into consideration because they have families to maintain.

“The same way they have people who depend on them, we, the workers, have things to do and families to take care of as well.

"I am waiting to see what will take place this month-end. I don’t have children, but I have my tuition fees to pay. If it is hard for me, without children, just imagine what single parents have to go through when they are not paid on time.”