Temporary lay-off for Junior Sammy workers as contracts dry up

Junior Sammy, the managing Director of the Junior Sammy Group. - File photo

ROUGHLY a third of the total work force of one of the country’s largest contracting firms, Junior Sammy Contractors Ltd, have been served notice that they will be temporarily sent home, without pay, until the end of January 2026.

The Claxton Bay-based company informed staff that it was approaching the end of its existing contracts and had not been able to secure future contracts for the upcoming quarter “despite our best efforts.”

A company spokesperson said the company took the “hard decision” to send home some of its staff, for the first time in 40 years, because of the drastic slowdown of major infrastructural projects and debt owed for state projects done under the former PNM administration.

Junior Sammy Contractors Ltd is part of the Junior Sammy Group of Companies, which includes Jusamco Pavers Ltd, Sammy’s Multilift Services. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the company spokesperson said the situation was an “industry-wide situation” and “we are one of the last companies in the industry to actually have made this decision.”

The official said the company was “eager to get back to normalcy.”

The official said the company usually closed operations by the third week of December. The company official was unable to disclose how many workers are to be affected by its decision.

“We understand the situation (about government’s inability to settle debts to contractors), but it’s just that from a business perspective, regrettably, we had to do what we had to do because we tried for the past three months...sometimes you have to make hard decisions.”

According to correspondence shared with staff, dated November 28, the company said, the effective date of the temporary lay-offs was December 16 until January 31.

“These harsh realities, which exist, have dictated that we perform an in-depth review of the company’s commitments and operational expenses, (and as such) are consequently forced to implement certain undesirable decisions in order to continue operations in the medium to longer term,” stated the correspondence sent to employees.

The affected employees were told they will be paid up until December 15, and still remain employees of the company.

“It is our intention to conduct a review of the situation during the month of January 2026 so as to communicate to you in writing and/or telephone advising you of the date by which you are required to resume duty. The decision was not taken lightly but has become necessary in order to preserve the viability of the company and maintain our commitment to our dedicated and loyal employees,” the letter to workers stated. Workers were informed that their immediate managers would provide further details of “these temporary arrangements.”

On November 15, economist Indera Sagewan, speaking at the Trinidad and Tobago Contractors Association annual awards dinner, called on government to settle the billion-dollar debt owed to contractors even as the government gears up to roll out its Revitalisation Blueprint to commence 129 major infrastructural projects. Contractors have faced a crippling blow since the pandemic in 2020, as the industry ground to a halt, coupled with increased shipping costs and a hike in the cost of materials.

Government’s Revitalisation Blueprint, launched on November 6, includes 129 major projects, among them the San Fernando-Mayaro Highway, port expansion in Port of Spain and Galeota, waterfront developments, the redevelopment of Invaders Bay, a new justice complex in Tamana, and a 250-acre housing estate to replace the Golden Grove Prison.

These projects are expected to generate an estimated 50,000 new jobs across construction and related sectors.