Enrico Woolford sues NCN for $7.8M; claims unpaid gratuity, vacation allowance

Veteran journalist Enrico Woolford, whose employment as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Communications Network (NCN) was terminated by the PPP/C Government, is suing the State-owned media entity for $7.8 million in unpaid benefits, including gratuity and vacation allowance.
In court documents filed last week by his Attorney-at-Law Eusi Anderson, Woolford outlined that by way of a written contract of employment, he served in the capacity from April 1, 2018, to July 31, 2020, when he and NCN mutually agreed not to renew the contract. The veteran broadcaster said that he was earning a monthly salary of $800,000.
Besides that, he said that he was entitled to the following allowances: travel $80,000; housing $50,000; entertainment and duty $40,000 each; security $30,000; refreshments $10,000; gratuity 22 ½ per cent of his salary paid every six months; vacation allowance equivalent to one month’s basic salary and a cell phone allowance up to $15,000.
According to Woolford, during his employment, he was unable to exhaust all of his contractual benefits and at the date of effective termination, he was entitled to vacation allowance and gratuity for specific periods in 2018, 2019, and 2020, amounting to $7,796,688.
In filings at the High Court in Demerara, Anderson submitted correspondences between his client and Human Resources Manager at NCN Lissette Nurse, who acknowledged that his client was entitled to the sum, and promised that he would be paid monthly instalments of $1,299,488 given the company’s financial position.
But according to Woolford, “Despite repeated promises to make these payments in instalments commencing on September 30, 2020, by [NCN] and the dispatch of pre-action protocol correspondence, [he] has not received a penny of these benefits.”
On this note, he contended, among other things, that NCN has refused to pay him the benefits and that there is no excuse in law for its repeated failure to pay the said benefits almost several months after they become due and payable. “I have not consented to any delay in payment or waived my rights to these sums in any form whatsoever. I am advised by Counsel and do verily believe [NCN] has no defence to this action,” Woolford noted in an affidavit in support of his claim.
Having regards to the forgoing, Woolford is asking the court for a declaration that he is entitled to the benefits, pursuant to the terms of his employment contract. He is also seeking an Order compelling NCN to pay him the accrued vacation allowance and gratuity; interest according to the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act; costs; and such further or other order the court deems just.
This lawsuit is fixed for hearing before Chief Justice Roxane George.
Woolford was hired as CEO of the State-owned media entity by the former APNU/AFC Government. Shortly after the PPP/C took Government, Public Affairs Minister Kwame McCoy in a letter dated August 12, 2020, informed Woolford that his appointment as a Director on the Board of Directors of NCN was terminated with immediate effect.
Imran Khan, another AFC Executive, was also laid off as Director of Public Information (DPI). According to his contract, Khan was earning a salary rivalling Woolford’s. He earned a basic salary of $701,767 per month; a duty allowance of $100,000 per month; an entertainment allowance of $15,000 per month and a travel allowance of $25,000 per month, all non-taxable.
Also, he had his cell and residential phone and internet paid for by the State. He was also provided with Government quarters and 24-hour security, as well as having his electricity and water paid for by the State.
Since being sworn in on August 2, 2020, President Dr Irfaan Ali has taken a tough stance against political appointees, who this publication understands proliferate throughout the various Ministries. Since the PPP/C Government took office, several political appointees tendered their resignation and several others were advised accordingly.