According to General Manager Titus Francis, the longstanding issue of delayed payment of wages and salaries to Public Works Corporation (PWC) employees has been resolved. In an interview on DBS Radio, Francis disclosed that employees who had missed two rounds of fortnightly pay and one month of monthly income would receive their overdue payments by Monday. He emphasized that measures are being implemented to prevent future delays in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works.
The delays had caused significant frustration among PWC employees, leading to complaints and concerns expressed by both staff and the union representing the workers. At the opening ceremony of a DPSU-sponsored workshop for PWC staff, General Secretary of the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU), Thomas Letang, voiced the union’s extreme dissatisfaction with the prolonged delays. He highlighted the urgency of addressing the issue, noting that employees had not been paid for two fortnights.
During the workshop, Letang pointed out the negative impact of the delays on employees’ livelihoods, stating, “After working for three fortnights and not being paid, leaving you and your family in dire straits is not a good situation to be in.” He also mentioned that the PWC has a record of delivering when hired, but the corporation’s financial issues stem from not receiving payments for completed work, with the government being its main client.
The DPSU workshop, which aimed to address performance and management issues within the PWC, was organized following a meeting with the Public Works Board of Directors, management, and staff. Letang explained that the workshop was proposed as an alternative to the Board’s and management’s suggested measures, which the union deemed illegal and unfair. The workshop is the first of many joint ventures, with a similar program planned at the Dominica State College (DSC) next Friday.
PWC employees have previously staged protests due to non-payment of salaries and wages. With this recent resolution, it remains to be seen if the issue will be fully resolved. Francis assured that the corporation is taking steps to avoid such delays in the future, working closely with the Ministry of Public Works.
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