KINGSTON, Jamaica — The HEART/NSTA Trust says it remains in dialogue with disgruntled staff members of the Vocational Training Development Institute (VTDI) and the National Council on Technical Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET), but says it will reserve public comment on the matters affecting them as the ongoing discussions include information that is potentially sensitive and confidential.

This is in response to queries made last week following OBSERVER ONLINE reports that dissatisfied employees were threatening industrial action due to “unjust and disrespectful treatment” stemming from pay issues, loss of benefits, and no job confirmations, following the merger of HEART with the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL), the National Youth Service (NYS) and the Apprenticeship Board.

Read: VTDI employees also frustrated with HEART

Read: Disgruntled NCTVET employees, HEART clash over wages, benefits

The HEART merger took effect on April 1, 2017, and, at the end of the transition, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MoEYI) should have responsibility for both the VTDI and the NCTVET.

But years later, employees are still confused about the chain of authority.

Stuck in limbo, they say they continue to be brushed aside by both HEART and the ministry.

When contacted, HEART said queries regarding the welfare of staff should be directed to the education ministry.

It, however, emphasized that the Trust remains committed to continued dialogue and support until the finalisation of the process.

Noting the issues being raised by staff, the agency sought to add clarity to some of the concerns.

It said that between March 7, 2016, and January 2018, the HEART Trust/NTA (now HEART/NSTA Trust) was an agency of the MOEYI with the NCTVET and the VTDI, both departments of MOEYI.

Effective April 3, 2018, HEART was reassigned from MOEYI to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). It said the VTDI and NCTVET remained departments of the MOEYI.

“Notwithstanding that, HEART was reassigned to the OPM in 2018, the Trust is cognisant of its residual responsibilities to the VTDI and NCTVET. As such, it continues to facilitate payment of emoluments to staff at both entities and hosting the two departments at physical spaces of the Trust until the MOEYI completes the process of integrating the entities within its structure,” the Trust added.

It stressed that this arrangement signals HEART’s commitment to facilitate collaboration within the public sector to minimise disruption for staff.

Calls for a response from the Ministry of Education went unanswered.