-gov’t has failed to set up Board since 2010
Workers attached to the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN) say they are being made to work without prompt payment at the end of every month, and are subjected to conditions that flout the labour laws.
After the European Union-funded Linden Economic Advancement Programme (LEAP) and the Linden Economic Advancement Fund (LEAF) closed, LEN was established on January 1, 2010 with a mandate to manage the Business Incubator and the Industrial Incubator to continue the loan process to micro, small and medium businesses and to provide service to all tenants and manage the conference facility. Government had pledged to set up a Board of Directors at LEN so that the loan process could start; however, frustrated workers said it seems to be taking much longer than anticipated.
“To date we are still awaiting the establishment of this board,” a staff member told Stabroek News. When this newspaper contacted Mana-ger Valerie Adams-Patterson on the issue she declined to comment, explaining that there are a number of issues that must be urgently addressed. She did say, however, that persons continue to frequent the office inquiring about loans.
Some workers were not so reticent, though they requested anonymity for fear of reprisals. Workers claimed that the entity was in dire financial straits and that it could not meet daily expenses. Several staffers had been forced to go without their salaries at the end of the month, with promises that it would be paid sometime in the new month, “… and when we get it only half the staff gets pay and the other has to wait.”
Workers said that Adams-Patterson would pay the security and the receptionist and sometimes the driver, and then herself and two other staff would wait until close to the end of the next month to be paid.
“No salary increase since 2010, no leave pay, as a matter of fact we can get one week leave in the entire year or none at all. The last time we sign contract was some time in 2010. Can you imagine that this is a government entity and they have employees working almost three years non-stop without contracts. No medical. No pension, no allowances for the top people not even coffee in the kitchen!” another staffer exclaimed.
This newspaper understands that the funds the manager collects from rent is not enough to maintain the building and that the Guyana Water Inc office, conference room and other offices housed there have leaky roofs. Also, all air conditioning units in the building are in a state of disrepair.
“Right now three vehicles sitting at the side of the building deteriorating daily and persons want them to buy but the director … telling people that the vehicles are not for sale but yet nothing is being done about it,” another worker said.
Stabroek News’ efforts to contact the director proved futile but it understands that a Toyota Hilux pick-up number PKK 7767 and two Suzuki Grand Vitara SUVs numbers PHH 5831 and PHH 7429 were in excellent working condition but were left to the harshness of the weather without being serviced. This newspaper was told that management once rented the vehicles to generate income but they were forced to stop.
Some months ago, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill held a meeting with LEN’s management when they were informed that he has responsibility for establishing the entity.
“He made us share all the concerns we have and promised to look into our situation, we never hear back from him again. He had the Manager and other senior officers giddying up to send information for him and still we ain’t hear nothing more from him,” workers said, adding that “it was another waste of our time.”
Workers said they cannot continue to work under the current circumstances. “I am wondering whether or not this whole thing is a plan to frustrate the employees so that we would leave,” a staff said. Many staff have already left and no one has been hired to replace them; instead these duties have been added to the existing staff’s workload to keep the entity going.
“This is unfair but we are doing it nevertheless…People need the money and…to have our salaries at the end of each month. I trust that the Minister of Finance will read this article and other people in the community and country who are in authority so that change can come to our situation here at LEN,” a worker said.
