REGION 10 Chairman Renis Morian is currently in talks with senior representatives of the St Kitts-based call centre Toucan Connections in relation to the 90 workers that were laid-off.“I spoke with a very senior representative of the company today…talks have begun with them at the level of the Region,” Morian told Guyana Chronicle.

The Regional Chairman said, “I want to give them ample time to correct” the situation. According to Morian, he is working towards a “win-win solution.”

“We are trying to have an amicable solution to this problem…” he declared.

He also said that the issues of non-payment of National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions and Pay as You Earn (PAYE) tax deductions over to the relevant agencies despite their being taken out of the employees’ salaries would constitute a critical part of the discussions.

“I want to give them enough time,” Morian stressed, while noting that he intends to meet with the displaced workers next week.

The Regional Chairman is optimistic that discussions with the company will bear fruit, but from all indications, the dislodged workers may have to wait a little longer to receive their severance packages.

The laid-off employees were denied their benefits from the company when they were informed by the company that it would be closing down. The company has thus breached this country’s labour laws which state that employees must be adequately informed before a company’s closure, and must be provided with a severance package.

Toucan Connections has said it was unaware that the severance package was the company’s responsibility.
Attempts to contact Minister Broomes on the matter have proved futile. (Ariana Gordon)