The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT – The former workers of Island Construction who were laid off without pay ten years ago are now owed almost $1m, according to a spokesman for the group.  

Ceva Seymour said that according to an Industrial Tribunal ruling in 2002, the company was ordered to pay the 34 workers some $361,910.01 in total.

Additionally, the chairman had ordered that ten per cent interest would be applied for every year that the payment was not settled.

“This now takes the total owed to some $944,948.80 over the ten-year period,” Ms Seymour said on Wednesday.   

She said the workers are very eager to receive their settlements.  

The company laid off the workers without pay in 2000. Four the workers have died since then.  

The workers are calling on the PM and relevant government authorities to intervene on their behalf.

“The group contacted me last night to find out if anyone at the relevant government agencies has tried getting in touch with me in response to the articles published in the media.  

“I have not heard anything from them. This is how disrespectful the PM’s office is when it comes to responding to human needs,” Ms Seymour said.

Island Construction is no longer in existence. The company was bought out by another construction company.

“We are going to give the PM some more time to respond. But what I don’t understand is how the government could allow the owners to sell the company and get their stamp tax knowing that these workers were not paid a cent,” she said.