While Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat took to social media on Tuesday to assure National Reforestation workers they would be paid by 2 pm yesterday, there was no money in the bank for employees who checked yesterday.
Rambharat used his Facebook page to announce on Wednesday that the 2,275 people employed with the division would begin to get their two months’ worth of unpaid salaries by 2 pm yesterday.
Single mother of five, Jahrilyn Harry, who broke down and cried during a protest put on by workers at the bottom of San Fernando Hill on Wednesday, was ecstatic yesterday when she heard the salaries were to be paid.
In an interview Harry said the first thing she hoped to do when she collected her salary was to pay the arrears and reconnection fee for her electricity.
She added: “So far I haven’t got any feedback on pay yet but I am hoping it will come in the morning.
“I have to pay T&TEC $1,000 to get back my lights. That is the first thing I want to do.”
Harry, her five children, her sickly sister and four nieces and nephews live at Jack Street, Batoo Avenue.
Their electricity supply was cut on Tuesday when Harry could not pay the bill on time. She has been raising her five children alone since their father died on August 9, 2014.
She said she also hoped to stock up on foodstuff and pay some of the outstanding bills she racked up over the last eight weeks.
“I have to buy food, pay for day care and the fees for their school van,” she added.
Despite her long list of bills, Harry hopes she will still be able to buy Christmas gifts for her children.