Dear Editor,

I write in response to Durant Pate’s September 3 article in the Jamaica Observer’s Caribbean Business Report in which he outline Government’s surplus in tax revenues.

In this instance I have to agree with the People’s National Party’s accusation that the Government is not “paying its bills to suppliers”.

I have been working as a National Education Inspectorate school inspector since 2010 and as an assessor for the National College for Educational Leadership. Both of these entities have owed me and my colleagues money since 2018. We are contract workers so there is apparently no urgency to pay us. They just recruit new people and it is business as usual.

Not only is it extremely stressful not to be paid, but we incur travel costs when we go out to work, for which we have to wait to be reimbursed. Moreover, after three years the currency is significantly devalued. In effect, we are being used as a loan facility with a zero per cent interest rate.

There is no communication from the Government about when we are to be reimbursed, and when we are paid for other aspects of our jobs there are no payslips attached to verify the jobs for which we are being paid.

Durant Pate’s article demonstrates that the money is available to pay us, so this non-payment is clearly a lack of will on the part of the Government.

After numerous requests to my bosses over the years for information on when payments will be made, my patience is now at an end.

I would very much appreciate it if your newspaper could investigate this matter.

Judith Evans

judithevans99@yahoo.co.uk