Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) Commander Dr. Daryl Dindial has reaffirmed that the planned meeting with the Public Services Association (PSA) on November 21 will proceed as scheduled. The meeting aims to discuss a proposed ten per cent wage increase for public servants, a key campaign promise by the United National Congress (UNC) during the April 28 general election. Dindial dismissed claims by PSA president Felisha Thomas regarding hidden agendas and stalled negotiations, emphasizing that the economy is dynamic and requires a comprehensive understanding for effective wage discussions. He noted that the Ministry of Finance will present the current economic state to provide context for the negotiations. Thomas, however, has insisted that the PSA is solely interested in receiving the ten per cent wage offer and is not concerned with economic presentations. Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo has clarified that the CPO is the constitutionally mandated authority for such negotiations and expects discussions to proceed professionally. The proposed wage increase covers the 2014–2016 and 2017–2019 collective bargaining periods, with Thomas optimistic about concluding negotiations by Christmas.
CPO tells PSA head: Trinidad and Tobago’s economy is not stagnant
