CBH, EMS and Solid Waste to receive extraordinary payments in what appears to be Sir Molwyn’s move to forestall strike action

In what is seen as a move to prevent other entities from staging industrial action, like the Teachers Union has done, the Cabinet will be taking measures to honour financial obligations to three critical government agencies.

At its sitting on Wednesday, April 19, the Executive agreed to make extraordinary payments to the Central Board of Health (CBH); the Emergency Medical Services (EMS); and the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA).

The Cabinet says that payment to these entities will be disbursed within the coming week in order to reduce its liability to contractors.

The Minister responsible for all three entities, Sir Molwyn Joseph, reportedly pleaded with his colleagues to reduce the debt, especially since small businesses make up a significant portion of those the Government owes, according to the Cabinet Notes.

These payments are intended to reach the small truck owners and other operators who, the Notes say, are critical to the delivery of services, and to whose continued operation these funds would be critical.

Solid Waste contractors have been owed for months – some claim “for years” – and promises had been made in December 2022 to pay outstanding monies before the Christmas holiday.

However, a proposal put forward by Minister Joseph resulted in the  Authority receiving only US$200,000 to meet expenses owed to truckers and some other service-providers.

Meanwhile, nurses and other healthcare workers are currently locked in a meeting to determine whether they, like the teachers, will take industrial action over long-outstanding issues, including a pension plan.