Last Updated on December 31, 2019, 5:01 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Some persons eligible to receive sickness benefit from the St Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board have not been paid, according to a source.
“Some persons can’t even get their sickness benefit from Social Security also,” said the source, known to be credible, in response to a December 26, 2019 news report that the employees at State-owned ZIZ Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and The St Kitts Eco Park were among civil servants and workers of the statutory bodies who were not paid a double salary on December 13, 2019.
It was not immediately known Sunday the length of time and the number of persons who are affected by the non-payment.
Following the December 26 report that ZBC staffers were not paid a double salary on December 13, employees were told on December 27, that they work for a private company and as such “not entitled to a double salary” like their counterparts at quasi-government institutions such as St Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA), Development Bank of St Kitts and Nevis and the St Christopher, the National Housing Corporation (NHC) and Nevis Social Security Board.
A senior government official had privately stated earlier that “ZIZ employees do not deserve a double,” echoing the same position as the Office of the Prime Minister.
It was not clear why the ZIZ staff was discriminated against by the Team Unity Government when under the previous Labour Administration the staff benefitted just like all civil servants and public officers.
It was further disclosed that ZBC has been operating at a loss and that a government cheque would have to be deposited in ZBC’s account to pay the workers the extra salary by the end of this month.
Although a company headed by a Board of Directors, the Government of St Kitts and Nevis is the only shareholder of ZIZ Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).
Employees at the St Kitts Eco Park and several civil servants who were placed on suspension were also denied the double salary on the directive of the Minister of Finance, who like most public officials and government ministers on St Kitts and Nevis, were paid a double salary on December 13.
Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs and Civil Aviation, Hon. Mark Brantley, went home with four salaries – two from the Federal Government and two from the Nevis Island Administration – amounting to EC$60,000 on December 13.
Earlier this month, several civil servants complained that they have not benefited from the full payment of the double salary as a result of what is perceived to be a deliberate attempt as documents sit for months on the desk of Dr Harris awaiting his approval.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
