TDC set to close today

According to articles of incorporation, stamped June 29, the new tourism body for Trinidad will employ 50 persons and its main business activity will comprise “developing and marketing business, conference and meetings product of Port of Spain, the development of niche products, including culture, festivals and sports and the provision of business advisory services.” Out of the maximum of 13 directors which can be appointed to the company’s Board, only two were named in the document, the Ministry of Finance’s permanent secretary Lisa Phillips and acting director, social and economic transformation Yvette Babb. Junior Atwarie, a business analyst, was named as secretary.

This comes as TDC’s management team were served retrenchment letters last Thursday (August 10), followed by a meeting last Friday between the CWU and Stuart Young, Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, to discuss jobs and non-payment of salaries for the remaining employees at the state enterprise.

50 NAMES Sources at the TDC said the company was set to close down today, with remaining employees given their termination notices.

It was also revealed the termination notices would give 45 days’ notice, ending on September 30 and staff would not be required to report for duty during this period, however, there will be ongoing discussions on separation packages, which are yet to be finalised.

At Friday’s meeting, the CWU representatives discussed the non-payment of salaries and sources said assurances were given that staff would be paid today.

The union also put forward a list of 50 names of TDC employees to be considered for employment in the new tourism company.

According to documents obtained by Newsday, proposed staffing of the Tourism Trinidad Destination Management Company Limited would be much smaller than the TDC which employed just over 120 persons.

Key departments outlined in the document include Investment and Tourism Business; Strategy and Marketing; Product Development and Visitor Experience and Finance and Administration.

The proposed executive would comprise of a Director of Tourism, Product Development and Destination Manager, Strategy and Marketing Manager and Research and Statistics Manager.

The document also outlined proposed salaries which range from $15,000 - $18,000 for managers and $9,000 - $12,000 for officers and $4,700 - $7,000 for associates in the various departments.

A considerable reduction from the present compensation packages at the TDC, where salaries for officers and specialists range from $17,000 - $24,000 per month, inclusive of benefits and allowances, with the basic package for a manager starting at $23,000 exclusive of allowances and benefits such as travelling and entertainment.

MANAGERS SENT HOME On Thursday, the TDC’s management team, with the exception of chief executive officer Cliff Hamilton, were handed retrenchment letters and effectively terminated from the company. The letters which thanked the recipients for their “loyalty, dedication and contribution”, stated that their services would no longer be required with immediate effect.

It also indicated that they would be paid the remuneration offered previously by the company in Release and Discharge Agreements dated June 30.

These agreements outlined individual compensation which included vacation leave, gratuity and ex-gratia payments. The letter also indicated that the retrenched managers would also be paid salaries to August 11.

According to sources, three managers did not sign the original Release and Discharge Agreement accepting the ex-gratia payment by the company, however they were also issued retrenchment letters.

ACTION FOR CONTEMPT On Wednesday, the CWU wrote to the registrar of the Industrial Court seeking to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the TDC and its Board of Directors for its “neglect/failure/refusal” to honour the order of the industrial court and pay salaries. TDC’s interim CEO, legal manager, acting human resources manager and two senior accountants were also named in the document.

“To date the Company has failed and/or refused to pay salaries and wages for the month of July to the monthly and the fortnightly paid workers,” the letter stated. It also indicated on August 2, the union wrote the company calling for workers to be paid outstanding salaries by 4pm on August 4, however the salaries remain owing.

“In the circumstances and taking into consideration the urgency involved in treating with this instant matter, the union seeks the Court’s urgent intervention to bring about the legitimate relief to members of the workers affected by the Company’s action,” the letter, signed by CWU’s secretary general Clyde Elder, added.

In May, the Industrial Court ruled that any action related to termination “must cease and must never happen until that matter is heard properly before the court” and that it should ensure “the status quo remains the same until those talks (discussions) are exhausted and parties return to the court for direction”.