PM: Public servants face months-long delay for back pay

THE Prime Minister on Thursday cast doubt on whether public servants will get back pay by Christmas, speaking at the post-Cabinet briefing at Whitehall, Port of Spain. In the budget presentation Finance Minister Colm Imbert had promised back pay for those workers in trade unions that had accepted the offer by Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Dr Daryl Dindial of a four per cent increase. These were unions representing teachers, police officers, prison officers and fire fighters.

Dr Rowley told reporters that an unnamed public servant had said it was not possible to pay the back pay by Christmas, but rather next May, but then gave a cryptic follow-up remark looking ahead.

The PM began by berating certain unco-operative public servants by alleging, "When the PNM is in office everyone is 'bad' (defiant)"

He related that certain unions had agreed to accept the Government's four per cent offer while he admitted it was not the best but was agreed to be given as soon as possible.

"The Minister of Finance comes to the Parliament and tells the Parliament he will find the money and we will take steps to ensure public servants are paid by December.

"A PS (permanent secretary) is going to write the minister and say that can't be done until next year May?

"Well, they don't run this country. They never offered themselves for public service and the Cabinet will not tolerate that."

Reporters asked if public servants were getting their back pay for Christmas.

He replied, "I just told you a PS said 'no.' Next year May might be earliest.

The PM stormed, "There is a Government in this country, and the Government will do what has to be done."

His announcement puzzled both TTUTA head Martin Lum Kin and retired former head of the Public Service Reginald Dumas.

Newsday was later unable to contact Dindial, Imbert, Rowley nor Minister in the Ministry of Finance Brian Manning for clarification.

Lum Kin told Newsday, "We need to get it clarified as to exactly when the back pay would be given to teachers. At this point TTUTA would like to get the time when that would be paid clarified, amid the report of the PM."

Newsday asked Dumas if he reckoned the delay was likely to be due to a lack of available funds or delays in the administrative processing of the due payments.

Dumas said he found the situation quite puzzling.

"I'd have assumed that before the Minister of Finance made his promise in the budget, he would have assured himself that the promise was valid. After all, he's the man in charge of the money."

Dumas said he would have assumed Imbert would have ensured the money was available, namely how many people were to benefit and by how much money.

"You don't make a promise unless you know what you are promising, especially something as touchy and delicate as this one, because you're talking money.

"You're talking money he promised in time for Christmas."

Dumas was a bit surprised to hear the PM say a public servant had said the money might not be paid out by December.

"So I don't know. I don't quite understand. I'm lost."

He did not know what to make of Rowley's cryptic comment promising to do what has to be done.

"Either the money is available or the money is not available.

"If the money is available, I assume that before the Minister of Finance made his promise the technocrats would have worked out the back pay owed on the basis of the four per cent increase for those people who accepted the four per cent."

He said someone had to calculate the sum owed based on the numbers of employees, their salaries and the periods covered.

"It strikes me that you would do that before you make a promise.

"So I'm extremely puzzled to hear that some public servant – whoever that may be – wrote to whoever – to say the money might not be available. I don't follow. I'm looking for enlightenment myself."

Dumas wondered whether and how a public servant could communicate this without the knowledge of the Minister of Finance.

"Again the minister responsible to give any such statement as to whether the money is available or not is the Minister of Finance.

"Is it that the Minister of Finance did not do his sums right and ought not to have made the statement he made in the budget? Or is it that we now have public servants more powerful than ministers? I don't know."