In Brief
- Final Offer Issued: The Chief Personnel Officer (CPO), Dr Daryl Dindial, has given the Public Services Association (PSA) two weeks to accept the government’s offer of 40% cash and 60% non-cash payments.
- Long-Running Negotiations: The offer covers the 2014–2016 and 2017–2019 bargaining periods, with negotiations having run for eight years across two administrations, three PSA presidents and three CPOs.
- Only Variation: The government’s sole concession is an option for arrears to be paid monthly over a three-year period.
- PSA Response Pending: Calls made to PSA President Felisha Thomas for comment went unanswered.
By Alicia Chamely
The government is not budging from its offer of 40% cash and 60% non-cash payments to public servants, as Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Dr Daryl Dindial gives the Public Services Association (PSA) two weeks to accept.
This comes after Dindial met with PSA President Felisha Thomas and her executive on Wednesday at the Office of the Personnel Department, Port of Spain.
In a press release late Wednesday afternoon, the Office of the CPO stated the offer of 40% cash and 60% non-cash payments applied to the bargaining periods 2014–2016 and 2017–2019.
Noting that negotiations with the PSA began eight years ago, spanning two government administrations, three PSA presidents and three CPOs, the release stated that Dindial emphasised the process “must now move towards finalisation.”
The PSA had, therefore, been given two weeks to consider and formally communicate its position on the final offer.
Regarding the offer, Dindial stated, “Given the circumstances, the government is acting responsibly to preserve jobs in the Public Service.”
Dindial, the release stated, explained that the non-cash items being offered hold value and “in many instances, require the government to forego revenue in order to offset the arrears through non-cash options.”
The Office of the CPO stated the only variation to the government’s offer was an option for arrears to be paid monthly over a three-year period.
Dindial, the release stated, noted that the PSA was the only association that had not concluded negotiations for the bargaining periods.
It stated that Dindial “hoped that the PSA would give due consideration to the offer in the interest of bringing the negotiations to a conclusion and providing certainty to public officers.”
Calls made to PSA President Felisha Thomas for comment went unanswered.
