-withholding of salaries was wrong, says Deputy Mayor
The City Council on Monday passed a motion for the six senior city officials who were sent on leave to facilitate the police investigation of the city’s operations to be paid in full, although some have still to hand over to their replacements as they were required to do.
Sent on leave pending the outcome of the investigation were: Town Clerk Yonette Pluck-Cort, City Treasurer Andrew Meredith, City Engineer Gregory Erskine, Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry-Munroe, the Director of Solid Waste Management Hubert Urlin and Personnel Officer Paulette Braithwaite.
Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase-Green on Monday said that although the council had taken a decision to withhold salaries from the officers until a proper handover was done, she later learnt that this procedure was wrong.
She further stated that council did not take any further decision and since then, the keys to both offices, according to the officers, were handed over and both offices are currently occupied. “The understanding of the law is taking the key, you take possession,” she stated.
Councillor Gladstone George then pointed out that Meredith, in a letter, had explained that he was in the office with the intention of completing the handing over when the acting Treasurer was called by acting Town Clerk Carol Sooba. “The Town Clerk acting aborted the process by calling acting treasurer, telling him he has more important things to do so I don’t understand what is incomplete handing over. When you hand over, you hand over and salaries should not be withheld,” he stated.
George then moved the motion that the officers who were sent on leave be paid.
Sooba reminded the council that in order to make payment within six months, there will have to be a two-thirds decision within the council to change the motion.
Upon voting, 13 councillors were seen voting in support of the motion, five against while one abstained.
As a result, the motion was carried. Chase-Green then asked that the officers be paid with immediate effect. “It is not money we have to find but money we have been holding for them,” she added.
It was also highlight that salaries for Mayor and City Council staff were paid late in October, while salaries for November are expected to be sent to the bank today.
Sooba stated that last month’s late payment was due to an issue involving the payroll the council is using and although she signed cheques a few days prior, there was a problem at the bank which could not release salaries.
“This is a period and season when members of our staff are expected to provide for their homes, their families, their children.
This season of goodwill is when the children should be focused on more than anything else and Christmas is a season where all of us, Christians and non-Christians alike, celebrate in different ways. I would hope that what happened in October will not happen in November and December.
Provisions ought to be made to ensure that salaries are paid on time,” Councillor Ranwell Jordan said.
