Invigilators waiting to be paid for 2021 CAPE exams

An invigilator who worked during the 2021 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) says she has not yet been paid for the two months she worked during the exams.

Speaking to Newsday anonymously, she said she and seven others have been getting the runaround for payment since then.

The woman said she worked over 20 days in June and July at $140 a day and is therefore owed over $3,000.

“Even though I work, it still affects me. That time has passed.

"I didn’t expect it to come the next week. I knew it would take a while, but (we hoped) it would at least come for Christmas.”

She said she worked during the 2020 Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exams and did not have the same problem.

“We were paid within two months.

“I am not doing this again. I had a good experience, so I went back, but now I that I’ve had this bad experience, I am not going back. I will not recommend that anybody do this, and I know they need invigilators.”

She said when applying, invigilators are not expected to have any other jobs.

“They don’t want you working, and then take so long to pay. I had to travel to the area they put me in. You don’t get schools close to you.”

She said after several weeks of calling the Ministry of Education, she was told last week that the person in charge of disbursing the money is supervising January CXC examinations in south Trinidad and won’t be back until January 19.

She said she was told the money was released to pay invigilators, but they couldn’t say when she would be paid.

Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, in a brief WhatsApp message, told Newsday, “Payments to invigilators began in 2021 and are continuing.”