Kingstown Town Board worker says everybody ‘feeling pressure’

Employees in various departments of the Kingstown Town Board say they are facing challenges due to delayed salary payments, resulting in financial strain, including late fees on loan payments.

“Everybody feeling the pressure,” one worker said.

Some workers complained that the payment schedule initially agreed upon in June, 2023 for fortnightly payments, has become unpredictable, with some employees receiving their pay packages every three weeks.

This issues affect workers performing different tasks including market cleaners, security staff, market officers, cemetery workers, Town Board Car Park attendants, and carpenters responsible for creating furniture for the Kingstown Town Board.

Some employees told SEARCHLIGHT they are hesitant to voice their concerns, fearing potential repercussions. They claim that despite multiple complaints to the Permanent Secretary, there has been no substantial intervention from higher authorities. Additionally, it has been observed that grievances are only addressed temporarily following media reports, with issues resurfacing shortly afterwards.

One employee said that there are leaks from the fourth floor to the ground floor of the vegetable market when it rains, leading to the breeding of mosquitoes. They said this has posed a significant issue in the market, resulting in the illness of several workers. Some workers have indicated though, that the symptoms do not appear to be associated with Dengue Fever.

Additionally, the workers said were instructed not to wear slippers, and were provided with ‘water boots’ instead of a shoe allowance to purchase shoes in which to work.

“We’re working with all we bag on we hand and on we back. If we buy anything, we have to hold it until we are done work. We have nothing here, not even a kitchen to make some tea, no room to change clothes,” one worker complained.

The vegetable market is in urgent need of maintenance, as reported by a worker, who highlighted the working conditions are unsatisfactory, specifically pointing to the unhygienic state of one of the bathrooms.

Moreover, some workers are said to have faced threats from individuals who use the market. Despite their repeated requests for improved security measures, they said no action has been taken.

Attempts by SEARCHLIGHT to contact someone from the administrative staff of the Kingstown Town Board about the claims of the workers, did not bear fruit.