Ignore promises, sign your contracts!

THE EDITOR: But seriously, the doctors were right to demand contracts of employment before working! In January 2003, doctors demanded contracts of employment before working. Instead, verbal promises were given. This was changed to month-to-month contracts. Eventually, a one year contract was offered with a promise “in good faith” to complete negotiations as soon as possible. Promises! Promises! In May 2003, certain items were agreed upon and certain items were referred to the Ministry of Labour. The RHAs’ have since refused to meet with MPATT to sign off the agreed items. The RHAs position, after seeking advice, is that a public holiday is the same as a normal working day, excessive overtime is the same as overtime and that basic salary is the same as gross salary. The Ministry of Labour rightly sent the RHAs back to their advisors. And the authorities played the media asking that poor patients not be used as pawns.

Now we saw where private secondary and primary schools have not been paid since November 2002. The school administrators had no choice but to send the kids home. One ministry official was quoted as saying he “don’t know why they want to have confrontation.” Does the Ministry of Education make late payments with an allowance for overdraft penalties? The answer is no. The reason for the late payments is said to be problems of finalisation of a memorandum of understanding and preparation of contracts. In other words, no contracts, no payments. And the authorities played the media asking that the poor students not be used as pawns. Now we saw where State Attorneys have stayed away from courts to highlight the shortage of personnel as well as their poor remuneration package. In 2001 and before, the then Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj met the State Attorneys to discuss the same matters. Today, more than two years later, the present Attorney General Glenda Morean claims not to know of the demands of the State Attorneys. The Office of the DPP has always been poorly staffed and underpaid. And the lawyers, like the doctors are given promises. Promises! Promises!

And the authorities played the media asking that the accused not be used as pawns. The Differently-Abled Peoples International (DPI) was given promises of jobs by top Cabinet members. To date, many are still waiting; Promises! Promises! Were the doctors wrong to demand employment contracts before working? After ten months, and no signed agreement, where is the negotiation “in good faith?” But seriously, State Attorneys must learn from the mistakes of the doctors, private schools and Differently-Abled Peoples International, when the government promises “in good faith,” sign your contracts first.

PHILIP AYOUNG-CHEE FRCS