Customs guards protest for outstanding wages

The 60 weekly paid guards are claiming that they have not been paid for 33 days.

"We want our money now, our children cannot go to school and we are all in arrears," they shouted yesterday.

Customs and Excise Extra Guards Association president Andre Cabarr yesterday told Newsday that the guards had last been paid on August 9. He said this is not the first time the workers have not been paid on time, citing an occasion where they were paid 27 days late and another time they were paid 19 days late. He said he wrote a letter to Junior Finance Minister Conrad Enill about the outstanding wages and Enill assured him that he will look into the matter.

"When we spoke to him five weeks ago, he said he had written a letter to the Comptroller of Customs, Leonard Watty, and he was awaiting a reply," Cabarr said. He added that the members of the association have not heard from either Enill or Watty since then.

He explained that Watty implemented a "different" programme in May, which allowed the workers to be paid weekly and on time. He said extra guards at the division’s Pt Lisas offices have not received wages for more than two months. "Trinidad is rated as the smallest country making the most money, yet workers cannot get paid. We have money to give everybody else except our own," he added.

He said the members of the association plan to protest until they receive their wages. He stated that they are also contemplating legal action against the division.

Commenting on the issue yesterday, Watty said he had spoken to the division’s Accounts Department about the late payment. He said the workers will receive their pay sheets within two to three days.

"Those extra guards are going to get their money. We made special provisions for them but they cannot get all their paysheets in one," he said.

However, he refused to explain why the workers were not paid on time.

"I have nothing to say about those extra guards again. They are too greedy," he stated.

Attempts by Newsday to get a comment from Junior Finance Minister, Conrad Enill, yesterday proved futile.