Trinidad and Tobago’s Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo has ignited controversy through his unconventional use of WhatsApp status updates to address media relations and government payments. The minister utilized the platform’s status feature to assert that public servant salaries and partial back pay had been disbursed promptly as committed, while simultaneously accusing local media outlets of biased reporting.
The digital confrontation emerged when Newsday journalists attempted to obtain clarification regarding the $3.8 billion back pay owed to Public Services Association (PSA)-represented employees. Despite multiple attempts to contact the minister directly between December 16-19, Tancoo remained unresponsive to media inquiries until choosing to communicate via social media platforms.
According to verified WhatsApp timestamps, the minister’s message declaring successful payments was delivered and read at 2 AM on December 17, though no official ministry updates or press releases confirmed the transaction details. The Treasury Division had previously announced on December 1 that government employee salaries would be processed on December 18.
PSA President Felisha Thomas, when contacted on December 18, referenced a posted notice regarding agreed payment timeframes but subsequently became unreachable for further commentary. The December 2 agreement between the PSA and Chief Personnel Officer stipulated partial back pay distribution in December, with the promised 10% salary increase—a key campaign commitment of the ruling UNC party—scheduled to take effect in January.
Critical questions regarding the exact proportion of the $3.8 billion debt addressed this month and the number of benefiting public servants remain officially unanswered, highlighting ongoing transparency concerns within the government’s communication strategy.