CPO calls for patience while San Fernando City salary process continues

2026-03-21 - 04:45

Chief Personnel Officer Dr Daryl Dindial says he sympathises with workers of the San Fernando City Corporation and is asking for patience as the State proceeds with new salary arrangements. Dindial said the payments arise from collective agreements for hourly, daily and weekly-paid employees for the periods January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016 and January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2019. He said the agreements, signed on April 24, 2025, mark a step in negotiations but require administrative and procedural steps before implementation. He also rejected statements by Contractors and General Workers Trade Union president general Ermine De Bique-Meade, which linked delays to his office. He said collective agreements for daily-rated workers require an additional statutory step before implementation. He said this requirement falls under Sections 44 (2) and 45 of the Industrial Relations Act Chap. 88:01. Dindial said Cabinet ratified the agreements on January 22, and a request was then made under the Act for non-objection by Minister of Labour, Small and Micro Enterprise Development and for registration at the Industrial Court of Trinidad and Tobago. He said a meeting was then held with De Bique-Meade on items requiring review. The amendments were signed on March 13. Dindial said the amendments were sent to the Ministry of Labour, Small and Micro Enterprise Development on March 16. He added the ministry completed its review and sent the records to the Industrial Court on Thursday. “The completion of the Minister’s statutory step on March 19 allows for the issue of implementation instructions to the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government and the San Fernando City Corporation,” he said. Dindial said the instructions will allow the start of implementation of revised salaries and allowances in consultation with the Ministry of Finance. He said the instructions have been prepared and will be issued on Monday. He added that De Bique-Meade has been informed of the status and next steps.