CPO and union to talk allowances

Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Stephanie Lewis and the Public Services Association (PSA) are      expected to meet to begin discussions on allowances for public servants. A press release from the Ministry of Finance yesterday stated from the pre-trial hearing on March 24 it was agreed  the parties would meet to determine the status of other terms and conditions of employment. The parties would then indicate to the tribunal which other issues, besides salaries and Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), were in dispute. The parties were to receive further directions after that information was provided, it was stated. The release said at the pre-trial hearing several issues were raised, including the scope of the dispute before the tribunal.

The purpose of the first hearing was to allow the parties to decide what periods would be reasonably necessary to present their cases and receive directions from the tribunal. The tribunal consists of the chairman Vernon Ashby, Victoria Harragin and Judy Gulbance. When contacted yesterday for comment, PSA president Watson Duke told the T&T Guardian the PSA would be discussing all the allowances that public servants were entitled to with the CPO. Those include health, travel and other special allowances, he said. Duke added: “We hope to settle these issues with the CPO before the tribunal begins in favour of public servants.” A date for the discussions is yet to be announced.