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ANGRY DAVE: The WhatsApp status of Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo attacking the local media. - Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo says salaries and back pay to public servants were made on time.
His announcement came in a WhatsApp status on December 19, which read: "Still think media is unbiased? Salaries and back pay on time as promised and not a media house beep."
Newsday reached out to Tancoo on December 16, asking whether everything was in place to make the payments as planned and how much of the $3.8 billion in back pay owed to PSA-represented public servants would be made this month. The finance minister
did not respond.
This message was delivered and read, according to WhatsApp, at 2 am on December 17.
Newsday again reached out to Tancoo on December 19, asking about the payment, to which he responded: "Why is the media not reporting that Government has PAID the promised partial back pay on time?"
His WhatsApp status was posted shortly after this response.
Newsday pointed out to this minister that an attempt was made earlier in the week to get clarity from him on the matter, to which he did not respond.
The question of how much of the $3.8 billion back pay tab was paid in December and how many PSA-represented public servants benefited, remain unanswered.
Tancoo's ministry also did not issue any updates indicating that payments were made. The last update issued was on December 15, stating Tancoo would attend the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean meetings in Panama City until December 16.
A Treasury Division release, on December 1, said salaries for government employees were to be paid on December 18.
When contacted by Newsday on December 18 about an update, PSA president Felisha Thomas said, "Please see the notice which was posted giving the agreed-upon time frame for payment." Calls and messages to Thomas on December 19 went unanswered.
The PSA signed an agreement on December 2, with the Chief Personnel Officer to receive a partial back pay sum in December and that the new salaries with the ten per cent increase will take effect in January.
The UNC's general election campaign included a promise of a ten per cent salary increase for PSA-represented public servants.
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