The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

STATE Minister for Public Service Pia Glover-Rolle said that 900 participants in the Public Service Professional Engagement Programme (PSPEP) participants have had a delay in the payment of their wages.

This is the second time in recent weeks the workers have endured wage delays. The Ministry of Public Service advised workers of a minor delay in monthly payments on April 3, though that was reportedly addressed by the following day.

Mrs Glover-Rolle said there had been systemic challenges.

“So we have been experiencing challenges,” she said yesterday. “And some of these are systemic. And that’s what we’re working on with our reimagination and reformation of the Public Service, we shouldn’t feel like operating from a place of mediocrity, because it’s commonplace that it is the right standard.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle admitted the service has long-standing payroll issues. She stressed that employees should be compensated efficiently and timely for their labour.

“I’ve said in countless communications, that as long as persons work, they should be properly and duly compensated for their work,” she said. “So, there’s been a number of challenges with payroll. Some are systemic, and that’s a part of the automation process and the HRMIS systems that we want to bring into play along with the Ministry of Finance. So, we’re still working through challenges. You know, we still have human beings who are performing these services, there’s room for human error.”

She added: “I am always apologetic to our participants who work, put in the work and when payday comes, their compensation isn’t there. But we have a commitment from our teams, we’ve made some adjustments to ensure that we are doing a better job of ensuring that our participants are paid on time.”

Asked what she would say to critics who think an apology isn’t enough for the delays, Mrs Glover-Rolle said she understands there is a problem and work needs to be done to find a solution.

Meanwhile, in a statement on Sunday, the Ministry of Public Service said workers would receive payment in the next 48 hours after a delay in bi-weekly wages.

“The Ministry of Public Service would like to advise Public Service Professional Engagement Programme (PSPEP) participants that any ongoing delays in the payroll process are being addressed with urgency.

“Those who would have been due payments on Friday, 14 April, 2023, will receive their payments over the course of the next 48 hours. We will continue to work on developing a more efficient process so that payments can be made on time. In the meantime, payroll officers have been advised to focus their efforts on bringing a swift resolution to this matter,” the statement said.

The statement continued: “We thank all PSPEP participants for their patience, and we assure all public servants that we are working diligently on implementing the necessary reforms, as well as technological and process upgrades to streamline operational efficiency and eliminate delays in our human resource management and payroll systems.”