PSA Trinidad & Tobago

 

1. Q. Why did the Minister instruct her Officials to issue an UNSOLICITED

Bulletin to you on the so called V.S.E.P?

1. Because the Minister and the Cabinet wants you to forget about the FACT that they have taken a decision to RETRENCH you. They now hope that you would consider RETRENCHMENT as a DONE DEAL. They want to ‘DISTRACT” you from your decision to FIGHT FOR YOUR JOBS.

2. Q. Are you interested in V.S.E.P.?

1. No, I love my Job and I intend to Fight to keep it.

3. Q. Why did the Minister of Finance and the Cabinet deny the

Employees the RIGHT, to choose one of the three Options?

1. Simply, because they don’t CARE.

4. Q. Why did the Minister of Finance and the Cabinet abandon

the “Collaborative Approach”?

1. Because it is their intention to reduce the size of Public Service through Retrenchment.

5. Q. Is any Public Officer safe in his/her job?

1. No, the Government has embarked on the dismantling of the Public Service beginning with the employees of Board of Inland Revenue and Customs.

6. Q. What is the Model Approach the Cabinet implemented with TTPOST,

Civil Aviation Authority, The Regional Health Authorities and the

Housing Development Corporation ?

1. The Cabinet utilized the “Seamless Transition Approach” which offered those former Public Officers the identical three Options which they promised you.

7. Q. Is the Forced Separation of Employment Plan (they call it V.S.E.P.) a

Legal Offer

1. No. It violates your Constitutional Right to Equality of Treatment under the Law.

8. Q. If I am directed/invited/instructed to attend any Briefing Session on

the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority [T.T.R.A.] should I attend?

1. Yes, If you are able to but you MUST NOT ask any questions on V.S.E.P.

since it would signal that you are interested in their F.S.E.P. Direct all your

Questions to the P.S.A. which is your Representative Union.

9. Q. What happened to my colleagues at the Ministry of Health who applied

for V.S.E.P. since December 2007?

1. More than 95% of them are still waiting to receive their Gratuity and Pension

after one (1) year and four (4) months. Those who have not been able to secure

alternative employment are now PENNILESS. All they received was the 25%

Enhancement which has long been used up paying their living expenses.

10. Q. Is V.S.E.P. a good benefit to me?

1. Categorically NO. Firstly, you would be retrenched from your job

and denied the Right to earn a Monthly Salary to support your

Family. Secondly, the Salary increases that you are likely to receive

over the coming years of your career would result in your Gratuity

and Pensions being far superior to any V.S.E.P. currently being

forced upon you.

11. Q. What is your Principal concern?

1. My concern is that I am entitled to be treated equally similar to

my colleagues at Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Health, the

National Housing Authority etc., i.e. to be afforded three Options:

1. Transfer to the T.T.R.A.

2. Redeployment to the wider Public Service

3. V.S.E.P.

12. Q. What do you want?

1. I want to keep MY JOB so that I can provide for my children’s education and to take care of my family. I do not want any V.S.E.P.

I want to exercise the Option of Transfer to the T.T.R.A

13. Q. Why did the Ministry issue a Bulletin purportedly on the T.T.R.A. but is

really on V.S.E.P.?

1. The Ministry’s Bulletin is another Confirmation of Deception and

Betrayal. It is entitled “Frequently Asked Questions” BUT all it talk’s about is V.S.E.P. (FORCED SEPARATION)

PLAN OF ACTION FOR JOB SECURITY –FIGHT BACK

10th March, 2009 - Mass Meeting, Centre of Excellence – SUCCESS 13TH March, 2009 - Black Friday – R & R – SUCCESS 17TH March, 2009 - Meeting with Minister of Finance – More Betrayal 27th March,. 2009 – Mass Demonstration – SUCCESS 3RD April, 2009 – R&R – SUCCESS 9th April, 2009 – Wear Something Black – SUCCESS 16th April, 2009 – R&R – SUCCESS 24th April, 2009 – Wear Something Red – SUCCESS 1st May, 2009 -

Printed and Published by the Public Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago

PUBLIC SERVICES ASSOCIATION OF

TRINIDAD AND TOBAG

SPECIAL INFORMATION BULLETIN

N0 7 of 2009

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

TO: MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES

OF THE INLAND REVENUE AND

CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DIVISIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (F.A.Q’s) AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE V.S.E.P/F.S.E.P