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HDC building South Quay - File photo ONLY 48 Housing Development Corporation (HDC) maintenance workers whose contracts have expired have not been renewed, Housing Minister David Lee told the House of Representatives on November 21.
He was responding to a question from Arima MP Pennelope Beckles on current employment figures.
Beckles asked the minister to confirm how many HDC workers and contractors were to be terminated or would not have their contracts renewed.
Lee said the HDC currently has a workforce of 765 employees and that, to date, 48 people whose contracts ended had not been rehired.
He told the House, “HDC has a workforce of 765 employees. Forty-eight employees whose contracts ended have not been given new contracts. I just want to say that those individuals would have gotten a 20 per cent gratuity.”
Beckles also sought clarity on the status of monthly-paid maintenance contractors. Lee said the corporation was still determining the full scope of the contracts under review.
“As far as the monthly contractors, I don’t have an exact figure, member,” he said.
“But I just want to say that contracts for monthly maintenance (workers) are in excess of $10 million.
Some of those contracts are being reviewed and renewed because the HDC board has an issue with how the maintenance contracts were structured.”
He added that the board had found “no proper procurement over the last few years and there are a lot of issues and irregularities that (need to) be investigated and audited.”
Lee’s statement followed a report in another newspaper indicating that the HDC intends to end at least 50 maintenance contracts by year’s end as part of wider cost-cutting measures.
The HDC has cited financial pressures, including heavy losses and mounting liabilities, which have prompted the board to examine both staff and contractor arrangements.
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