VIDEO: PM Browne Apologizes to Works Employees, Says Those Responsible Dropped The Ball

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has apologized to protesting Ministry of Works employees and said efforts would be made to pay their outstanding salaries, wages and overtime by Friday.

Browne addressed the workers after they gathered outside the ministry’s headquarters on St. John’s Street on Tuesday to demand money reportedly owed to them.

“I apologize for the fact that Public Works dropped the ball,” Browne said.

The prime minister said the problem was not a shortage of money but the ministry’s failure to prepare and submit the required documents to the Treasury.

“There’s money there to pay you all for your salaries, your wages, your overtime,” he said. “But the Treasury cannot pay unless there’s documentation.”

Browne said the director had responsibility for ensuring the workers’ names were collected and the necessary paperwork prepared and submitted.

He said officials had been instructed to resolve the issue and make the payments by the end of the week.

“If they can get the documentation to the Treasury, let’s say by Thursday at the latest, we’ll pay you for Friday,” Browne told the employees, noting that the upcoming Carnival holiday weekend increased the urgency.

Shop steward Mr. Peters earlier said some employees were owed overtime dating back to 2014, while workers hired in April had reportedly not received wages.

“We want our money — all our money,” Peters said.

Government truck drivers joined the protest in solidarity, contributing to traffic congestion outside the ministry.

The Ministry of Works subsequently said management was fully engaged in processing the outstanding payments. It said the process had been advancing since inquiries were raised on July 14 but did not initially provide a payment date.

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