Opposition senator Carlos James has raised serious concerns regarding reports that numerous individuals working within the St. Vincent and the Grenadines government service have still not been paid.
James speaking on Star Radio stated that certain current employees in the state administration have gone several months without receiving their salaries.
James highlighted a particularly dire situation involving ambulance drivers, some of whom have reportedly not been paid since March.
He recounted a specific interaction with one driver who admitted to being “ashamed to even publicly admit” the lack of payment because he had voted for the current administration. According to the sources, the driver lamented that such a situation “never happened under Labor,” referring to the previous Unity Labor Party (ULP) government.
James expressed bewilderment at how these workers and their families are surviving while the employees continue to show up for their shifts despite the lack of compensation. He argued that these delays are a symptom of a broader “breakdown in the administrative matters” and the “poor quality of administration” currently managing the country’s resources.
Furthermore, James cautioned that if the state is currently failing to meet its basic salary obligations, there are significant questions regarding whether the Treasury can handle the legal requirements for upcoming pension and gratuity payments for other workers.
He said that the “management of resources” and the “state’s administration’s ability to effectively manage” have become major points of concern for the public.
