The Trinidad and Tobago government Monday said it as alloated funds to meet the proposal to pay 40 per cent of outstanding arrears in cash to public secttor workers.
Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo delivering the TT$63.3 billion (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) budget to Parliament, said that despite trying financial circumstances, in December 2025, the government provided for a partial cash payment of TT$230 million to members of the Public Service Association (PSA).
‘In 2027 and based on the Chief Personnel Officer’s proposal to pay 40 per cent of outstanding arrears in cash, we have an allocation in fiscal 2027 to meet this obligation,’ Tancoo said, adding that the government has also made allocations available for payment to other trade unions.
He said TT$252 million have been allocated for the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW), the largest trade union here, for new wage rates and cost of living allowances (COLA) and TT$510 million for arrears.
The Finance Minister said TT$44.9 million have been allocated for the payment of arrears for Port of Spain City Corporation, while TT$45.4 million will go towards the payment of arrears for San Fernando City Corporation.
In addition, TT$281.8 million had been allocated for arrears for the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) adding ‘this represents close to TT$2.5 billion which we are putting in the hands of current and retired public officers.
Tancoo said that the government intends to continue engaging with trade unions with unresolved negotiations including: the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU), the Transport and Industrial Workers’ Union (TIWU), the Trinidad and Tobago Postal Workers’ Union and Contractors and General Workers’ Trade Union representing workers at several business and educational institutions including the University of the West Indies, the University of Trinidad and Tobago, the National Training Agency and the National Helicopters among others.
Tancoo said that the government honoured its commitment to teachers, telling legislators that from March 2026 an estimated 11,000 teachers benefitted from higher salaries, together with the consolidation of the COLA.
‘Last month we paid off all the arrears valued at approximately TT$688 million,’ he said, adding that the government also honoured its commitment to the NUGFW.
‘We ratified the agreement for approximately 20,000 daily-rated workers resulting in a 10 per cent wage increase and TT$510.2 million in arrears.
‘We honoured our commitment to the PSA: We commenced wage negotiations affecting almost 40,000 public-sector workers, and to date, we have provided approximately TT$224.8 million in backpay and put all 40,000 public servants on their new higher salary,’ Tancoo said.