Where is the money?
That is the question a number of persons who worked during the ten-day CARIFESTA XV cultural event are asking as they told the Weekend Nation that this was a month since the festival ended, yet they have not received any correspondence from the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), regarding when they would be paid.
Among the disgruntled contract workers are a number of taxi drivers who were responsible for chauffeuring high-level overseas delegates to and from the many events.
“We were on call 24/7,” an upset driver stated, adding that they were contracted for $750 a day for those who had cars and SUVs while those who operated coaches received between $1 100 and $1 200. They said they were hearing that it would take as long as three months for them to receive the money.
“When the NCF signed us on they said we would receive our money after the event. We did not expect that it would take so long,” one contractor lamented.
The Weekend Nation understands that several other categories of workers have not yet been paid, including volunteers, liaison scheme officers and co-ordinators.
The ten-day cultural event took place between August 22 and 31.
When contacted about the concerns made, Akil Franklyn, corporate communications specialist at the NCF, stated that chief executive officer Carol Roberts-Reifer indicated that she would not be commenting on the matter.
Shantal Munro-Knight, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, however, told this newspaper that they were working diligently to issue the payments.
“We are working through payments as fast as we can. There is a need to validate work and we have been working through this as quickly as we can.
“It will absolutely not take three months for payments. We can provide some guarantee on this. We are cognizant that many of those that need to be paid are small service providers,” she added.
The upset contract workers revealed that they were told that some of the major contractors had already received their money.
‘Got cheques’
“I was told that the big-ups got their cheques already. And I know people who were recently contracted to take down the structures and they have been paid. So why is it that we can’t receive our money when it was already a set amount and we worked every day?” a taxi operator asked.
In addition, the operator lamented that while they were able to reach the official from the NCF who was responsible for their deployment during the festival, they have not been able to contact him since it ended.
“We have been calling him to find out about our money and he is not answering the phone.”
Another pointed out that at the end of the festival they were all issued with receipts.
“Now we are hearing that it is going to take as long as three months to pay us because people that worked during Crop Over are now getting paid. This is not fair because we were on call 24/7. We had to take the delegates and the prime ministers wherever they wanted to go. I am working for myself so I put everything else to the side to concentrate on this job and I expect to be paid because even though CARIFESTA finish I still have my bills to pay.”
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said the breakdown of the cost for Barbados to organise the multimillion-dollar event would be released only after all vendors have been paid.
She stated: “There will be a proper accounting for the expenditure of CARIFESTA, but to rush and give anybody the figures when they are still processing and paying vendors would be an act of recklessness and irresponsibility.” (MB)
They fast stack law to playup with the Queen. But wont fast track the laws dealing with auditor general and finding out why money always going missing all the time so. All who can ‘pick sense’ like them do so. Spot De LIGHT in de right place, not in my face.