Workers involved in the BRAGSA clean-up activities on Union Island say that, while the government and BRAGSA specify that workers hired for the period will be offered $200 per day with a take-home pay of $135, some contractors are paying significantly less.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Gonsalves announced that BRAGSA will offer 200 EC per day with some deductions.
“Note that the EC$200/day is broken down as follows: US$50 or EC$135/day take home for each worker. The other EC$65 is for the contractor to cover NIS and food.”.
On Wednesday, some workers told the St. Vincent Times that none of the contractors are paying $135 per day, and several workers quit the clean-up efforts with one of the contractors yesterday.
“None of the workers on Union Island are making $200 per day; it’s a lie. One contractor is paying $96 per day, and the other is paying $130 per day. The government needs to know this.”.
Another worker said, “One of them is paying 16 dollars an hour, so you only get $96; they are lying and wicked.”
The Roads, Bridges, and General Services Authority (BRAGSA) is expected to spend in excess of approximately 22 million dollars on the cleanup effort in the Southern Grenadines.
BRAGSA has awarded three contracts to Hutchinson, Derrick Charles, and John Greaves to handle the cleanup campaign on Union Island. Greaves will mainly be responsible for cleaning government facilities, including schools and state offices.
“Hutchinson is dealing with Clifton going right up to the learning resource centre, and Derrick Charles is dealing with the area from there going right up into Ashton and Campbell and up into Valley,” Gonsalves said on Sunday.
