Sort wages backlog, demands Barbuda Council member

A member of the Barbuda Council is renewing his party’s call for the body to clear a two-week backlog in unpaid wages.

Council member Kendra Beazer said the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party-led council must make good on its obligations to sort wages in arrears.

Beazer, a member of the Barbuda Peoples Movement, said it is unfair to expect Barbudans to “make do” in the absence of the money “which they have earned”.

“It is absolutely absurd and you have seen it is a situation where persons are now depending on their neighbour to assist in simply necessities such as purchasing groceries,” he said.

Getting paid-up with all its workers just before the council elections in March was not a genuine gesture by the ABLP because now, according to Beazer, there is little attention being given to staying up-to-date with wage payments.

“They have not given the people any explanation whatsoever [as to] why the are still behind on the wages. Every situation where there is an election or there is a vote to be casted, wages are paid,” Beazer added.

Travel woes

Beazer has singled out travel between Antigua and Barbuda as a major issue affecting residents.

In July, the CEO of Caribbean Helicopters said that Barbuda Airways could launch “within weeks”, although he didn’t give a concrete deadline.

Barbuda Airways is a joint project between Caribbean Helicopters and the government.

“Presently there is only one airplane running between Antigua and Barbuda, and a return ticket on that airplane is $360. A minimum wage person is working for $298 and change. That is their net income per week,” said Beazer.

“I don’t understand how in 2017 that our island is being cut off.”

Original source: Antigua Observer