PSA head claims gov't changed the rules on new revenue agency

The President of the Public Services Association (PSA) said Sunday the government of Trinidad & Tobago is forcing civil servants out of their jobs in two state agencies as it moves to create a new revenue body - the Trinidad and Tobago revenue Agency (TTRA).

Jennifer Baptiste-Primus was speaking on a radio talk show about Government’s Voluntary Separation Employment Programme (VSEP) for employees of Customs and Excise and Board of Inland Revenue (BIR).

She accused the government of backtracking on an initial agreement with the PSA. But she made it clear that while her association doesn't oppose the new agency it is deeply disappointed with the manner in which it is happening.

Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira announced on Saturday that the Government would pay between $300 and $350 million in "voluntary separation" to the workers to shut down the Customs and Excise Division and the Board of Inland revenue to create the TTRA. It means that while the term "voluntary" is used the 2,175 affected workers really have no choice in the matter. And no one is assured automatic reemployment in the new revenue agency.

Baptiste-Primus pointed out that such a significant change did not happen overnight. She is upset that the government did not initially consult the union that represents the thousands of workers affected.

"This process began as far back as the year 2002, when Cabinet appointed a committee to examine the feasibility of establishing the TTRA. At that time was the Revenue Authority of T&T.” Baptiste-Primus said.

“We did not sit on the committee and we wrote our letter of objection to the prime minister. We met; he apologised. And that was when Mr (Conrad) Enill was Minister in the Ministry of Finance. Subsequent to that, we started the discussion with the minister.

“We are in agreement with the merger of the Customs and Excise Division and the Board of Inland Revenue. So that there is no quarrel. There is no discussion on that. There is agreement on this new authority.”

She said during consultation there had been agreement on three different approaches to separation of workers that included the option to remain part of the new agency, voluntary separation and continuing employment in the civil service. She insisted that the government unilaterally changed the rules.

“So that this information that says the Cabinet decision is to have a big bang approach — only VSEP — that was never in the cards as the only option. It was one of three options.”

Bernard-Primus said she has a responsibility to meet with the employees to get a feedback about how they felt about the issue “and we will move forward from there.”