General Secretary of the Public Service Union (PSU) Thomas Letang, has made known the problems identified by a ‘think tank’ with employees of the Public Works Corporation and solutions proposed to deal with those issues.
He said they are related to delayed and deferred payments for some of the workers at the Corporation.
Letang made the revelation at a press conference, earlier this morning, outlining each of the concerns the participants of the session were able to spot, centered around the financial constraints at the corporation and its relation to the fact that the PWC and the skilled workers that it employs were being underutilized while other contractors were being hired for major works around the country.
He also expressed disappointment that the original intent for the PWC, from its inception in 2007, was not being realized and that the minister had been given notice of the results of the ‘think tank’ exercise, on 6 July this year and he has not yet responded.
Letang stated that the employees believe that their corporation is not being given a fair chance to secure some of the contracts for major works currently being undertaken.
Letang said, “We felt that, in an effort to bring about an end to the recurring problems faced by the Corporation, as a bargaining agent for the employees we saw it fit to have a think tank. We came up with two main challenges: the operating environment and the management of the Corporation. It was unanimously agreed, by those participating, that the Corporation was not playing on the same level playing field as other entities within the same business environment. The employees are of the impression that the Corporation is being sidelined every time a big project comes on stream.”
He reports a lack of professionalism in the relations between the Corporation and the Government of Dominica. He says that the Corporation is being inhibited by non-adherence to contractual terms by the Ministry of Public Works and that is a major source of bother to the employees.
“What we are being told is that you will get instructions from the Ministry to undertake some project and a project is not signed, and when bills are submitted, it is not approved by the Ministry of Finance because they have not seen any contract,” Letang affirmed.
He added, “It was agreed that PWC would be the entity supplying asphalt to the Chinese for the Portsmouth road project, however Gaddarkhan is the contractor supplying asphalt, not only to themselves in the Roseau Valley, but to the Chinese as well.”
Letang was upset at the fact that all of these situations are going on while the Corporation has working facilities and the capacity to undertake those projects, or to assist.
Most of the roads that we use today on the island of D/ca, was cut surface drained and maintained by public works in the past,i think its only fair to let them lend a hand with the only thing they know how to do best, which is to make roads.
There comes a time when one must be objective, it is clear that the workers of public works are given a poor deal. how can we justify the fact that the major employer of civil works in the country the government is not engaging the public works corporation.How can we justify that the the government gives public works job and the payment is delayed to the point that PWC cash flow crashes and the basic overheads such as wages cannot be met. PWD have a brand new asphalt plant for which the west coast road would have paid off yet we give the frech man the conract to supply the materials and the chinese are running, Can’t PWC GETA BITE. WE STOP PLAYING POKER WITH MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE THIER WIVES AND CHILDREN TO FEED AND GOES PENNYLESS FOR WEEKS while those WHO GOVERN HAVE THIER BUTTER THICK AND RUNNING OVER. GREED breeds selfishness.have aconscience for these poor public workers.
Has Letang taken a real hard look at the job that the PWC has done in the past on Dominica’s roads? They’re skilled in the following areas: Project delay, poor vision and foresight and lack of ability. That’s their skill level.
Ismael this is a very unfortunate comment. Are you suggesting that PWC is unqualified to perform asphaltic concrete paving? If the PWC was not qualified why would the government invest in knew paving equipment which is now seating at the storage area unused. It is quite obvious why kadakan was given the contract as opposed to putting food on the table of the PWC workers who by the way have not been paid in weeks and for the last 2 years have been paid weeks after pay day. Kadakan is by the way not a pavement contractor so there is no way that Kadakan is better than our public work department who have been doing this even when your parents were kids.
What is your comment based on? To come in here and state that PWC lack forsight without backing up your statement with facts is cowardly and immature. The road quality and durability is based primarily on the quality of the base and sub base; the concrete mix is important as well. That said the preparatory work for base and sub base is that of the general contractor. PWC’s responsibility is only to come in and apply the asphalt concrete, compact and walk away. I’m sure that the concrete paving job would /will be supervised by the general contractor.
It is behavior and comments like your that help keep us behind. It is easier to talk about nation building than to act. I am rather surprised at your comment Ismael. Unless we get rid of this old mentality that because the outsider is better. The issue however is way deeper than the inferiority complex therein rather the saddest thing is that the government has elected to take away jobs from PWC workers in favor of a foreign special interest business man. What a sad event
I guarantee that some idiot PIP will comment on the readiness of the PWC workers or claim that Dominicans are lazy etc and unreliable. If Lennox or Matt would complain about this sad situation – Tony and his Hench men would say it’s all a lie or it is a political lynch mob operation. It is ironic that the same people shouting labor power during the campaign are suffering the consequences of their ignorance and unwillingness to be reasonable. From the time Rosie and Pierro departed this rogue government has demonstrated recklessness and total disregard for Dominicans, the constitution and the treasury.
How can a government for the people take away the very jobs that the people need to feed their families. How can sensible people support such action only in the interest of party politics.
At a time when tourism is in trouble, the farmers and agriculture are driven into oblivion, none or little manufacturing the government is stairing jobs in the hands of special interest individuals only to receive under table compensation. Why it is that sensible people can’t see the wrong in such practice.
I regret coming across as anti-government or anti Labor Party – think whatever you want but as a caring Dominican I cannot support such behavior and it is time for people to come out in the streets and demonstrate because such government behavior is worthy of demonstrations.
You were right Porssie Radical – just like you predicted. Just see Anthony Ismael’s ‘s comment. What a shame. Where the heck are we going as a people. Instead of encouraging and building what is ours we seek to destroy and demoralize our very own. Is that all in the interest of party politics.This is unbelievable.
i propose that by the end of this year or early next year any and all civil and maintance work on our roads will be done by the Chinese Railway Company. Warner has just been sweetened thanks to them. Who is the Parl. rep. there. Go figure. It pure MADNESS to the highest degree for a nation state to have its infrastructural, public civl works and maintenance to be dictated by a FOREIGN POWER OR STATE. CHINA??????? MADNESS!!!!! Who will claim resposibility and be out on the road in the middle of the night during the hurricane season when landslides coming down, culverts are blocked, trees fall over the road etc. you mean to tell me our ENTIRE CIVIL AND INRASTRUCTURAL/DEVELOPMENT WILL BE DICTATED BY CHINESE POLICY!!!!!!! WHERE DE DAMN MOU!!!!!
You know what when it come to you guy and the As*** in government i don’t even bother no more cause all you guys are the same A** leading a**.Its time that people in this country start to feel for them to change the way they appoint people in position. To many time you hear Dominican talking about stuff that going on in this country and time and time again they put the same people in position. If you keep doing the same thing over and over again why would you honestly expect a different result.
we are knew that .what is he talking about? aaaaaaawhat is the next step. Now, what?Talk and no action.