CPO, PSA to meet on TTRA tomorrow

The Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) and the Public Services Association (PSA) will meet tomorrow on issues raised by public servants over the proposed operationalisation of the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority (TTRA).

In a telephone interview with Guardian Media yesterday, PSA first vice-president Felisha Thomas said the meeting was aimed at bringing some clarity to its members.

“We have agreed to meet with the CPO on Thursday, and we are hopeful that this meeting will bring forth some relief to the workers and allow them to make a decision beyond Thursday,” Thomas said.

The meeting comes after PSA president Leroy Baptiste raised concerns on behalf of his members at the Board of Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise Division who will be joined to form the TTRA.

Public servants had until July 31 to indicate whether they would like to move over to the TTRA, retire, or transfer to another public institution.

Thomas added that members were concered about their tenure if they chose to switch to the TTRA. She said some current workers in acting positions were worried that they may lose their benefits from the acting position they currently hold.

Also raising issues with the intended move, which will be finalised by the Privy Council in September, was Deborah McFee, chairman of the Women’s Institute for Alternative Development.

In a media release yesterday McFee called on the Government to clarify what will happen to workers who move to the TTRA.

She said, “It is the cataclysmic shift in the conditions of labour that is being foisted on the country by the largest employer taking on such a broad sweep of persons on contract.

“Workers working on contract in the public service are not public servants. I must ask the Finance Minister (Colm Imbert) and the Minister of Public Administration (Allyson West) about the arrangements made to facilitate such widespread employment on contract for such critical services. Also, what are the structures in place to ensure the fair and equitable redeployment of those workers who do not sign on to the TTRA?”

In response, West, who is acting as Finance Minister while Imbert is away, said the term “contract workers” had a specific connotation in the public service but is not what is meant in reference to the TTRA employees.

She said while the workers would be contracted, they would remain permanent employees who were contracted without a term limit.

“The persons being hired by the TTRA are not being hired on terms be it months or years. Apart from the hierarchy, the director and deputy, who by legislation are engaged for years. The persons who are employed or being employed by the TTRA are employed on contract but effectively as permanent staff. They are, indefinitely, unless and until someone terminates that contract.”

McFee added, “Good governance requires that this move be made clear to us the public. We are all aware of the complications of contract labour within the public service. The loss of institutional memory is also to be considered.

“How this will be experienced in the life of these workers, most of whom are women, is an important consideration. The end of contract is an insecure time.

“We are institutionalising precarious labour conditions. WINAD is calling on the Government of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago for clarity on this move.”