PWC late salary issue resurfaces

PWC workers demonstrating in Roseau on July 15
PWC workers demonstrating in Roseau on July 15

The issue of late salary payments at the Public Works Corporation (PWC) has resurfaced.

Staff of the Public Works Corporation has been at loggerheads with the government of Dominica for what they said have been issues of late payments, non payments to social security, and job security.

In fact, the staff protested recently, demanding a meeting with Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, to have that issue addressed.

The government subsequently promised to have all debts to Public Works Corporation settled, but the General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU), Thomas Letang, told a press conference on Wednesday morning that only a small portion of that debt was paid.

According to Letang, the government owed the PWC some $3-million of which only $1-million have been settled.

He said because of this, the staff members have not been able to receive all their salaries.

“The money that they receive out of $3.5-million was less than $1-million and we were told that out of that money, salaries had to be paid, Inland Revenue contributions had to be paid, social security contributions had to be paid, and a number of other debts had to be serviced. That itself did not go very far,” Letang said.

He pointed out that last fortnight staff members were owed two fornights and discussions were held with the management of the PWC who said stated the workers will be paid.

“But there were not sufficient funds to pay them for the two fortnights and that monthly pay would have been paid at the end of September,” Letang explained. “So as I speak to you now, my understanding is that one fortnight is owed. Coming out of the meeting with management, we said that there was a need for us to have a meeting with the union, the staff and the board of directors to really discuss that matter.”

He noted that a meeting between the union and the PWC was held this week and the PWC has proposed a rotation system of employment, “where people can work for a fortnight.”

“We have not accepted this and that is one of the reasons why I have indicated to the management that we should have that joint meeting (to include staff),” he explained.

Letang further argued that the late payment matter has become a “reoccurring decimal” and he thought by now it would be something of the past.

“As far as we are concerned it is like a reoccurring decimal, we thought that this matter would have been resolved. We thought that the problem which was experienced at Public Works regarding the late payment of salaries and wages that this would have been something of the past,” he argued.

Letang pointed to a large sum, which he said, is still owed to the PWC on work done on the Morne Prosper road.

“I understand that on the Morne Prosper road, which was done about two years ago, a large sum in excess of over $2-million is being owed,” he said. “So a lot of money is being owed by the government to PWC.”

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19 Comments

  1. 1979
    October 3, 2014

    people……… this government does not want to saddle responsibility…. but it is the people too who have part to play. we do NOT like to take ownership and responsibility of our lives and actions… we like everyone else to do for us what we should be doing for ourselves… i was really wondering WHY? in 2014 our PWC it seems was unable to build our own bridges… WHY? the chinese had to come and do it for us…. it would seem that if we did a number 2 as a nation some other hand would have to wipe our behinds…. its all well and good to sell pwc to some foreign company to take care of our roads etc etc…..but do we ever stop to think of the cost….the cost of doing NOTHING for ourselves????? is this the kind of people that we would grow our children into… FULLY FUNCTIONAL,but sadly disabled… our time is more precious than money, money you can make back….time once wasted is gone….please mister minister and those responsible….. STOP WASTING PEOPLES TIME….

  2. Anonymous
    October 2, 2014

    De pm will tired take all u for a joy ride but change is possible change is a must and change is coming

  3. badrep
    October 2, 2014

    Dominica have an excess of ministers, advisors and ambassadors with no portfolios making $30,000 a month, maybe the government should start spreading the money around by cutting these huge salaries and firing the extra ministers and ambassadors and with the saving maybe the DLP can lower the travel tax, departure tax, arrival tax , custom tax or VAT tax and take their foot off Dominicans
    neck.

  4. 1979
    October 2, 2014

    If i would not be labelled political or otherwise, it would seem that the union members are paying fees for less than par representation…..this merry go round is sure to make anyone sick to the stomach… the thing is when u are so dizzy and nauseated you tend to lose focus that the underlying root of the problem is cash flow….be it that the government may be AMONG the worse paymasters on island…it is debatable….but identifying the ROOT of the problem is something that I think is long overdue, and something that we all can agree on.

    • 1979
      October 2, 2014

      I hope its not because I used to work there papa god, the man punishing people so….yes i voice my opinion, loud and clear….. perhaps, such is the price to measure the humility of a leader…. we all will die….but should we chose to die in agony and silence???? maybe that is the requirement to be fed in my homeland..

  5. October 2, 2014

    its very hard to believe that the government owes public works all that money. the other day i heard the prime minister say that giveing public works job is like throwing money in a ravin. to me that was a very unfortunate statement comeing from the prime mininster. I am 54 now and for as long as i can remember public works have been doing all our road projects brilliantly.

    • st luce
      October 2, 2014

      u right he rather give those jobs to the Chinese and his friends who because heavy equipment owner in a matter of a few years… their cheque books big like a chemistry text book used in college. a few years ago they had little jobs. but now is public works he decide to mash up

  6. Manger Backside
    October 1, 2014

    Why these poor guys have to be made to suffer like this. Seems like you all are too soft. You guys better start eating pepper on the race track from Laplaine to Morne Bruce. Then get set ready and Go! Go! Go!

  7. ????????
    October 1, 2014

    PWC workers and their Union please pray and be thankful when you receive the money. This is a recurring thing and all because when they receive all what is owed to them, they never give thanks and praise. Instead they go around talking bad and putting curses on their workplaces. Pray Pray that the funds owed will be paid.

    • Papa Dom
      October 2, 2014

      So these days when you work you have pray for your employer to pay you! Who should the workers pray to? Skerritt said recently that people shouldn’t pray to God but they should come to him, so now not only should they go to him but they should pray to him too.

    • Ma Moses
      October 2, 2014

      Give thanks and praise to be given your rightful award, the pittance you have worked what you have worked for? Who should these poor people be grateful to? What is wrong with you?

  8. Boops
    October 1, 2014

    just really disgusting.yet they can pay chinese thousands of dollars a month. total outrage.

  9. icepop
    October 1, 2014

    I hear there are plans a foot to convert the PWC to the CWC- Yes man, the – Chinese Work Coorporation, nah my partner just tell me is SWC haha well nah kno what the S stand for.

    • JoJo
      October 2, 2014

      Well that would not surprise me at all because govt. already agreed some time ago to sell the place to Chinese interest for E.C.$. 5 million, mr. Timothy knows that very well.

  10. Doc. Love
    October 1, 2014

    Jesus, Mary and Joseph, when will it end. Is their no mercy, love, compassion, understanding in the hearts of Skeritt and Blackmore for these poor workers. What have the workers of Public Works and their families done to Skeritt and the DLP Government. If one Public Works worker and their families vote for this wicked DLP Government, God’s mercy will not fall on them. :mrgreen:

    • Canefield
      October 2, 2014

      If U Dont Know U Must Talk :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

  11. Lang Mama
    October 1, 2014

    Has anyone seen the episode where the three stogees were in a sinking boat on a lake and Curly decided that in order to save themselves he must drill a hole in the boat so that the water coming in could go out through that hole

    Well here it is they give public works $1 million. PWC took that money to pay the taxes and social security then the same administration is taking the taxes to bribe voters and public works waiting for the money to come back around.

  12. shaka zulu
    October 1, 2014

    I am frankly tired of hearing about this. Letang you may need to step down let someone with more guts take charge. You guys becoming a joke. You have tried. It probably time for some fresh blood at the top of the PSU. Time for action.

    • Anonymous
      October 2, 2014

      He is a fake that is y. Says one thing to the workers and when he is with his boys (dlp) its a completely different story

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