THA secretary responds to claims 15 workers to be dismissed

Tobago

Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Secretary of Settlements, Public Utilities and Rural Development Ian Pollard has all but rubbished Minority Leader Kelvon Morris’ claim that 15 workers were set for dismissal from the Client Relations Unit of his division.

At a media conference on December 23, Pollard denounced what he described as “misinformation” Morris peddled on December 20.

Rather than 15 workers, Pollard said only two workers were being affected, in a unit of three.

“The figure of 15, which the Minority Leader is circulating and has prompted media coverage, is baseless,” Pollard said.

“If a unit had three people and two are affected, I’m not sure where he got 15 from. Perhaps you can ask him.”

>

Pollard said the restructuring of the Client Relations Unit – created in 2008 under the former administration with 12 positions, of which only three were ever filled – would affect just two employees. He said those workers were still employed and had not received retrenchment notices.

Morris alleged that workers were being unfairly dismissed days before Christmas without adequate notice. He also criticised the division for prioritising the creation of a Rural Development Unit with "high salaries" while supposedly letting go of lower-paid employees.

At the subsequent media conference, Pollard provided context for the restructuring, pointing to irregularities in grant disbursements uncovered by the Auditor General.

“We had persons receiving grants and taking it and purchasing motorcar (and) boat engines,” he said, adding that some applications, which would typically take six weeks to process, were approved in a single week.

Additionally, he alleged some who exceeded the salary cap by $200 were denied grants. Others who were over the cap by as much as $4,000, were granted assistance, he claimed, owing to connections within the unit.

He said those findings informed the restructuring, which aimed to ensure grants were allocated fairly.

Pollard added that a proposal for the restructuring was presented to the executive council on February 19 and approved on April 24, with changes intended to take effect on June 1.

However, as of December 23, he said, the two affected employees remained employed.

>

“The present administrator did follow the instruction and had this meeting with his employees on October 9, informing them of the pending restructuring that is to take place.”

Pollard accused Morris of peddling propaganda and having an axe to grind, calling on him to reveal the workers’ names and positions at stake. He also encouraged the media to verify information before publishing.

“So the misinformation (is being) put out in this space by the Minority Leader to please his handlers in Trinidad, as if this administration is callous or this secretary is wicked. I'm asking again, how two employees turn to 15?"

Pollard reaffirmed that the restructuring followed recommendations from the Auditor General and was not arbitrary.

“Not because you're a party affiliate... you (should receive grants). It is vital that the people who are suffering and who are most in need must have access to these grants, and not because you're part of a political organisation.”

Morris is yet to respond to Newsday's request for comment.