“There is no crisis at Costaatt.”
So said Education Minister Anthony Garcia as he answered questions in the Senate yesterday in relation to recent media reports that plans are afoot by the University of T&T (UTT) to send home 287 of its workers by month’s end and if Government intended to retrench staff at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of T&T (Costaatt) as it contracts its operation.
“The UTT is not about to retrench workers in the next few days. Discussions are ongoing with the OWTU… the workers representative union and UTT under my direction. And until we have completed negotiations and discussions no decision will be taken,” Garcia said in response to a question by Senator Wade Mark who asked whether Government intended to lay off UTT workers in the coming days.
As to when these discussions will conclude, Garcia could not say.
“I would like to inform this House that I have asked for a meeting of both parties next Wednesday,” Garcia said, referring to the OWTU and UTT’s officials.
In view of Costaatt contracting its operations in 2018, Mark asked Garcia if they intended to send any of its workers home.
“Costaatt has no intention of retrenching any workers in terms of the proposed contraction of operations for fiscal 2018.”
Garcia said such contractions can be expected in an economy that is experiencing a downturn.
“There is no crisis at Costaatt. The college will issue a media release shortly to address the issues relating to retrenchment of employees currently circulating in the public domain,” Garcia said.
