Local Gov’t Minister to review salary issues at Linden Town Council
President Dr. Irfaan Ali has called for an urgent review of the legal framework governing salary payments at the Linden Town Council amid reports that workers’ salaries were delayed due to the Mayor’s refusal to sign off on payment vouchers.
Addressing a gathering in Linden early Sunday morning, President Ali highlighted the importance of ensuring workers are paid promptly for their labour, stating, “Workers cannot be held hostage. Workers must be paid for the work they do.”
The President disclosed that he had instructed Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Sonia Parag to review the matter and provide a report by the end of the day.
“I have asked the Minister to check in the law [as to] why it is necessary for the Mayor to sign off on your salaries that you earned,” he explained.
This intervention follows reports from December 2024, when some Town Council workers were left unpaid because Mayor Sharma Solomon did not sign off on the payment documents.
Based on reports, more than 119 workers across various departments were affected by the delayed salary payments.
Prior to the salary issue, the Town Clerk Lennox Gasper had slammed the Mayor for blocking pay hikes for staff. He explained that a number of employees were being paid the minimum wage established for 2018.
