Port-of-Spain: Twenty-eight workers at the state-owned Vehicle Maintenance Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited, VMCOTT, have been dismissed after the Minister of Works and Transport Austin Jack Warner agreed to take key business away from the company resulting in a loss of revenue.
The workers were given retrenchment letters last evening. The decision affected two branches in Beetham, north of Trinidad and San Fernando south of the island.
VMCOTT's chief executive officer, Joel Brown said today that Minister Warner told the company that it would no longer be responsible for maintaining 50 buses owned by the state-controlled Public Transport Services Corporation, leaving the board with no choice but to dismiss those who worked directly on those units.
"We were told that from March 1st we would no longer have the buses. That was a directive given by the Minister of Works and Transport," Brown said.
"On that basis we have to reduce our staff because a significant portion of our revenue is being taken away and we can no longer keep those workers who were directly responsible for the buses."
Staff members have been given 45 days notice of dismissal and have been told that during that period they are not required to show up for work. The workers will be given severance payment based on their salaries.
VMCOTT does not currently have a board of directors as the last board resigned as is customary when a new government takes over. The Minister was not immediately available for comment.
