Corriverton Town Council owes workers more than $8M – Councillor

…sends dismissal letters to striking workers

Police were called to cordon off an area in Corriverton on Wednesday as striking Corriverton Town Council workers and the mayor had a confrontation.
The workers are on strike for better working conditions and to receive minimum wage. The strike is being backed by the Guyana Labour Union, which represents the municipal workers.
The GLU had, on November 13, penned a letter to the municipality, seeking to have a list of grievances discussed, but received no response from the municipality, hence the industrial action.
Meanwhile, this publication was reliably informed that the letter from the Union was read to the Council during one of its statutory meetings. As the strike hit day three on Wednesday, the town’s Mayor, Winston Roberts, reportedly drove his vehicle up to the protestors who were outside of the municipal office demonstrating as they chanted, “No money, no wuk! The Mayor must go!”
“He drive the vehicle right up to we and nearly knock one of dem girls. He stop the vehicle and come out, and he want fight we,” one of the protestors told this publication.
The Police were called, but subsequently left. This newspaper reached out to the mayor for a comment, but this proved futile.
Meanwhile, a document purporting to be a dismissal letter was sent to the home of the treasurer, who refused to accept it. A letter was similarly sent to the home of the senior bookkeeper, who also refused to accept it.
Reports are that there was a verbal exchange at the bookkeeper’s home.
According to a source at the Municipality, the letters were signed by the acting Town Clerk.
The Corriverton Town Council had taken a decision to have the treasurer act as town clerk while the substantive town clerk proceeded on annual leave, but that decision was not implemented.
The Local Government Commission had also endorsed the decision taken by the Council to have the treasurer act as town clerk.
Meanwhile, one of the municipal Councillors, Anil Sugrim, told this publication that the municipality owes the workers in excess of $8M.
“I would have personally asked the Council to write Central Government asking for their intervention in supporting financially so that we could have paid the workers; especially coming on to the Christmas season because of the difficulties that are encountering in their livelihood.”
Eight persons on retirement from the municipality are still to receive their service benefits.
Meanwhile, the Labour Ministry has arranged to meet with both the municipality and the union today with the hope of resolving the issue. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 14:00h. General Secretary of the Guyana Labour Union, Carville Duncan, has since said the Union has already contacted the other nine municipalities and asked for support if the matter is not resolved.