Port-of-Spain Mayor Chinua Alleyne says City Corporation workers will finally receive their June salaries after the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government released the funds.
In a social media post today, Alleyne announced that the Corporation had collected a cheque for $2,188,679 from the Ministry to cover June 2026 salaries for the City’s civil servants.
“I am pleased to announce that good sense and truth has finally prevailed at the Ministry of Local Government,” he wrote.
“A short while ago, the POS Corporation collected a cheque from the Ministry for June 2026 salaries for the City’s civil servants.
“The City Treasurer’s Department is currently at work processing these salary payments.”
Alleyne thanked the Corporation’s employees for their patience during the delay.
“I would like to thank our hardworking civil servants for their forbearance during this unpleasant period.”
However, he warned funding remains uncertain beyond June.
“The City still has no allocation for salary payments for July, August and September 2026. We will continue to engage the Ministry to rectify this fiscal fiasco in local government.
“We will also continue to engage the Ministry on the wage rate increase and backpay for our daily rated workers.”
Yesterday, Alleyne revealed the Ministry had approved the transfer of funds needed to cover June salaries but explained workers would remain unpaid until the Ministry of Finance completed the transfer process.
At a news conference at City Hall in Port-of-Spain, he said the approval came after months of warnings the Corporation was running out of money to pay staff. He also maintained no provisions had yet been made to cover salaries for July, August or September and rejected suggestions the Corporation had delayed making its request for funding.
Meanwhile, Public Services Association (PSA) president Felisha Thomas said the union had been engaging the relevant authorities to resolve the salary issue.
In a Facebook post addressed to monthly paid employees of the Port-of-Spain City Corporation, Thomas said the PSA had been informed the Corporation collected the cheque on Wednesday.
She also disputed the contents of a July 1 memorandum issued to civil servants, which said, “we are awaiting the completion of all necessary processes…”
“The PSA has been informed that THE CHEQUE WAS COLLECTED BY THE CORPORATION TODAY,” the Facebook post said.
