THE ISSUE OF late payment of temporary public workers’ salaries is, unfortunately, not a new problem. But even more important, it is creating discomfort for a large number of people and at the same time also highlighting a lack of care and consideration.
Despite all the criticism levelled against Barbados’ Public Service, it still has a proud track record for being efficient and ensuring that policies are instituted. It allows for a continuum. In the prevailing environment, where many temporary officers have had to be terminated, it must be an uncomfortable situation for those still in this category.
These workers are critical to not only maintaining the public service, but to helping to ensure the country remains as one of the best places in the hemisphere to work and live. In the circumstances, those affected temporary public workers must feel unappreciated and overlooked for a number of justifiable reasons.
The late payment of their salaries is therefore bad; the hardship it causes is worse.
If this situation were to obtain in the private sector, there would be condemnation from both trade unions and politicians. We could not imagine either the political directorate or senior career officers not being paid on a timely basis. They simply would not let it happen.
If Barbados is to preserve its reputation as a place where the system works, it must ensure that its temporary public workers, who make a genuine contribution to the economy, are neither abused nor ignored.
This latest problem has not been caused by a technology glitch, human error or a cybersecurity issue. The blame may be with the bureaucracy, given that the authority by which the temporary officers’ employment is made continuous, needs to be dealt with more expeditiously. It is no longer a matter for the particular department where the individual is employed and the Personnel Administration Division. It now also encompasses the Ministry of the Civil Service. Turnaround time becomes crucial.
But, given the pervasive nature of late payments for temporary workers, it may not just be an administrative issue. Inadequate cash flow is certainly on the front-burner.
The situation is creating severe hardships for these employees, putting some at the mercy of their creditors. Government as the employer must be more sensitive of their plight. Its accounting and personnel departments must be more proactive in resolving the issues.
These workers need a definitive response on when they will be paid and must not be seen to be a bother or doing something wrong when they enquire about their plight. There needs to be a human face to this exercise.