Rahael: No VSEP retraction at Caroni

AGRICULTURE MINISTER John Rahael yesterday said there was no truth to rumours that Government had retracted its Voluntary Separation of Employment Package (VSEP) offer to workers of Caroni (1975) Limited. The Minister also said he intends to get Cabinet approval to investigate the under-funding of Caroni’s pension fund for daily-paid workers to the tune of approximately $300 million.

Speaking with reporters at the Hilton Trinidad, Rahael said he was unaware of Caroni’s memo allegedly circulated amongst daily-paid workers saying the VSEP had been withdrawn. “I am not aware of that. This is a matter that is in front of the court. The latest position is that the court has granted an injunction to Caroni to stop accepting any applications with respect to VSEP. I am not aware of any document that you are referring to. “Nothing can be done until the court matter is resolved. We are waiting on that right now,” the Minister stated.

Rahael also expressed concern about reports that the pension fund was under funded. “I am really trying to find out first why that should have happened and why that is so because of the fact that is quite a lot of money for a pension fund to be under funded,” he said. The Minister added that he will bring the matter to the attention of Cabinet. Asked about the status of the 2003 sugar crop, Rahael said the crop may fall a little short of its 100,000 tonnes of sugar target but “we will be sufficiently producing enough so that we will provide the quantity that is required for export markets where we have a guaranteed quota and a guaranteed price”.

The Minister also spoke of conversations he had on Tuesday with some Caroni workers who complained about the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers Trade Union (ATSGWTU) preventing them from handing in their VSEP packages. According to Rahael, those workers said the ATSGWTU’s actions have not been sanctioned by the majority of Caroni’s labour force.