The Region Four Democratic Council has launched an investigation into the non-payment of workers at the Little Diamond – Herstelling Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).
According to a statement from the RDC, Regional Chair, Genevieve Allen ordered the investigation after Vice Chairman of the RDC, and Assistant Regional Executive Officer (AREO) disclosed that the workers were not paid their fortnightly salaries at the Easter weekend.
The RDC claims that the Chair of the NDC, Madan Singh refused to sign the vouchers to effect payment, thus resulting in the 13 employees being forced to spend their Easter holidays without being paid.
The RDC Chair launched the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the refusal which allegedly has to do with Singh deciding to impose a 150% increase in his monthly stipend.
“He [Chairman] has been receiving $10,000 each month, however, he imposed an additional $15,000 increase to his salary, thus making it $25,000 and because the overseer has refused, he, in turn, refused to sign off on the salaries for the workers,” the RDC said.
Overseer at the NDC, Candace Atherly was quoted as saying: “We told him that the vouchers were to pay the salaries but yet he told us that if he ain’t getting his $25,000 then nobody ain’t getting paid because he ain’t signing nothing.”
So far the NDC Chair has denied the allegations noting that all the vouchers were not ready so instead of signing some last week and some this week, he opted to wait until this week to sign all at the same time.
This is reportedly the first time the NDC has encountered such problems.
However, the RDC said there have been instances in the past where the NDC Chair refused to administer his responsibilities once things are not done in his favour.
“These persons have worked and by law, they are to be paid, paid not when the Chairman feels ready and happy to, but paid within the stipulated time frame of when salaries are due,” Allen was quoted as saying in the statement.
The RDC Chair believes that the NDCs are being made political tools.
The RDC said: “up to the time of sending out this release, the staff have not been paid and based on the accounting process it’s unlikely that they would be paid before Friday of this week.”
Local Government Elections is slated for November this year.
