Imbert: 30,000 public servants to get Xmas back pay

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert estimated that 30,000 people will benefit from his commitment two months ago that public sector workers would receive their back pay by Christmas.

Imbert made this promise when he presented the 2023/2024 budget in the House of Representatives on October 26.

However, police officers may not be included in this group.

Imbert said efforts are being made to ensure they receive their back pay as soon as possible.

He made these statements in the House on Wednesday in response to a question from Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein.

"I am satisfied that in the order of 30,000 will be paid in accordance with the announcement."

Imbert listed the trade unions that accepted the Government's offer of a four per cent wage increase before the budget's presentation.

They included the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), Fire Service 2nd division, Amalgamated Workers Union (AWU), TT Police Social and Welfare Association (TTPSWA), Prison Officers Association 2nd division, TT Defence Force (TTDF) pay review committee and the Prison Service 1st division officer association.

Imbert said, "This has been quite a difficult exercise. I am fairly confident that the following associations will be paid in accordance with the announcement."

He identified TTUTA and the Fire Service, with 17,000 and over 4,000 members respectively as the first beneficiaries.

Next was the AWU. Imbert said workers represented by that union have "already been paid."

All divisions of the prison officers association will receive their back pay before Christmas.

Imbert said all arms of the TTDF (Coast Guard, Army and Air Guard) "were paid already prior to the presentation of the national budget."

To ensure that back pay was made to these people in keeping with his promise, Imbert said, "We have applied all of the resources of the government to deal with these issues."

He hinted there were challenges with making back pay to police officers by Christmas.

"The Commissioner of Police has reported to me that there are difficulties with the accuracy and..."

Imbert did not complete his statement as Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George advised him that his speaking time to respond to Hosein's question had expired.

In response to a follow-up question from Hosein, Imbert said that efforts were being made to ensure that police officers receive their back pay.

"We are giving support to the police service, whole of government support, for their back pay to be paid soonest."

At a virtual news conference last month, Imbert said the payment of back pay was limited to those public-sector organisations who, through their unions, accepted the four per cent increase offer made by government in June 2022.

At that time, he said the Public Services Association (PSA) and another trade union were the two entities which did not accept that offer.