Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana Riding on the Crest of Truth
Last Updated on Monday, 24 September 2018, 11:21 by Denis Chabrol
Retired Day Care Supervisor, Jardine Hope
The Commission of Inquiry into the operations of the City administration opened on Monday with pensioners claiming they were enduring delays in the receiving pensions, retroactive salary increases and gratuities.
Former Supervisor of South Road Day Care Centre, Jardine Hope complained that after serving the City for 35 years, she never received her retroactive salary increase from January to May, 2015
She recalled being able to speak with Town Clerk, Royston King outside the building during a fire drill at the same time she had gone to enquire about monies owed to her.
“I go into the office several times but nobody paid me any mind”, she said. King, she said, told her that Deputy Town Clerk had been dealing with it and there were not many persons on the waiting list.
Georgetown Municipality Commission of Inquiry Chairman, former Chancellor of the Judiciary Cecil Kennard.
Hope also reported that regular pensions were being paid every other month, but some of the monies were being deducted for late mortgage payments.
“We borrow mortgage and when we go to the bank, the bank take out the difference” she said.
The Town Clerk, she said, would say “he has to pay his staff first before he pay pensioners….That is the way they treat us.”
Hope received a salary of GY$69,000 and is entitled to a pension of GY$56,000.
A similar complaint was lodged at the Commission of Inquiry by retired East Ruimveldt Day Care, Allison Collins.
She said since she retired on July 24, 2017 but she was yet to receive her gratuity. She claimed she was also owed back-pay for 2015 and 2016.
“They refused to give us,” she said.
City Hall has repeatedly complained that it is cash-strapped to pay salaries and waste disposal companies.
The Commission of Inquiry, which was called in accordance with the Constitution and the Municipal Laws, is being conducted by Retired Chancellor of the Judiciary, Cecil Kennard.