SECURITY guards in Region Three ( Essequibo Islands–West Demerara) attached to Sentinel Security Inc. are still owed two months’ salary for July and August, and are calling on the relevant authorities to intervene even as the company has begun laying off employees.

The security service began issuing employees with notices earlier this month stating that they are going through a retrenchment process and several security guards are being laid off. However, the main concern of the guards is, when would they be paid their monies.
“We badly need we money and we need we money right now,” cried one security guard, who has been with the company for the past eight months. The man complained of having to resort to loans to get by, but now with no money to even repay the loans he is at his wits ends over the situation.

“It affecting me because you ain’t getting to pay the bills, you ain’t getting to do the things what you want to do in yuh own house. Right now, me have to borrow money to pay bills, the due date pass and you ain’t getting money to pay, and you have to pay back the people you borrowing money from and you ain’t getting to pay back the people. You have to be telling them, this week, next week, and you ain’t getting money. It affecting me in every way,” the man said.

The employees said they have been lodging complaints with the Ministry of Social Protection which has responsibility for labour, however, all the ministry would say is that they are “handling the situation”, even though the ministry has been alerted of the situation for over a month now.

“Is best yuh nah wuk!” one female employee lamented “This is real hard man. Them done owe yuh fuh one month, now them go owe you fuh another month. Look I got water bill to pay, light bill to pay, Lucky Dollar to pay, what am I to do?”

Reports have indicated that Sentinel was not able to pay the employees because they have not received monies on their contract with the government.

It was last year November that Sentinel Security Inc. was awarded a $666.5M contract through the Ministry of Communities, to provide security services for the Region, taking over from Homesafe Security.

However, a Sentinel manager, identified only as ‘Mr. Gordon’, said that the issue between the firm and the government was settled last week.

“There were some issues with them that related to some payments that have been addressed. We were able to meet with them and that matter is addressed. It was a result of the ministry owing us that some officers’ payment was late, but I understand that [last] Monday there was a meeting and that matter was resolved, when I came into work [last] Tuesday I was told that the matter was resolved,” he clarified.

However when questioned on why employees still remained unpaid, he refused to comment.

“I would not be able to say anything on that. I don’t care to give you a reason why and all of that. What I could advise you to do is check with the ministry and they will be able to give you the specifics on that,” Gordon advised.

He also refused to comment on if the employees will be paid by the time their services are terminated this month end.

Regional Chairman for Region Three, Julius Faerber, said the problem rests with the Ministry of Finance signing the necessary documents for the money to be released to the security firm.

“All I know is that the guards were not paid from the region for a few months. When I spoke to [the] Regional Executive Officer (REO) they have not received any releases from the Ministry of Finance because the heads of department did not prepare the releases on time and they’re expecting the release of the money soon,” Faerber said.

This situation comes just months after employees of another security firm, Integrated Security Service, protested the nonpayment of salaries in the Regions  Five (Mahaica/Berbice) and Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne) areas.

In Region 10, security guards attached to the Amazon Security Service in Linden, owned by Ewart Forrester, picketed in front of that firm’s office last month after they also were not being paid for two months.