Experienced DHB workers reportedly being forced to resign

Oct 09, 2023 News

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…over 130 employees parted with the company between 2020 and July 2023

Kaieteur News – The Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC), a critical artery in the development of the World’s fastest growing economy, is struggling to meet its daily performance criteria with experienced personnel being reportedly forced to hand in their resignations.

The bridge connects Region Four, the most populated area in the country with Region Three, where multiple development projects vital to the country’s future, are presently ongoing.

Over the past week, a number of employees attached to the corporation anonymously shared their concerns with Kaieteur News regarding the management of the facility.

According to those employees, the new General Manager (GM), Wayne Watson has created an “uncomfortable” working environment, leading to the loss of more than 130 employees between 2020 and July 2023.

This has reportedly resulted in the DHBC hiring a higher number of workers than required, thereby racking up higher management costs of the structure.

One employee said, “We have a GM who is very bias and incompetent. He has no management skills along with the Human Resources Manager. He continues to exercise the highest level of incompetence. We have a huge turnover of staff at the moment. People are being forced to resign after being suspended for petty things.”

Kaieteur News was told that in one instance, a staff attached to the toll booth was involved in an incident in which approximately $4,000 was short at the end of a shift. This was brought to that employee’s attention, and the sum was reportedly deducted from her salary. Subsequently, the sum was reportedly returned to that employee’s pay cheque however, she was allegedly sent home for two weeks without pay, depriving that staff of just over $50,000.

In other instances, staff members of the DHBC are reportedly sent home without pay for arriving to work mere minutes late.

According to staff of the DHBC, “There is a level of favouritism there where some people are receiving salary increases and some aren’t…persons are very frustrated and only this week, we had another resignation because of frustration and what management has been doing to them.”

This newspaper was told that staff of the DHBC met with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bridge, Ravi Ramcharran where they raised their concerns regarding the management of the entity. In addition, it was suggested that they even turned to their union for help but was not satisfied with the outcome of those meetings.

The employees told Kaieteur News that they are calling on President Irfaan Ali to honour his commitment of “caring for workers” and meet directly with them to listen to their concerns. “We would like the President to come to the bridge because he said he is going to meet workers, we would like for him to come because nothing hasn’t been going good for us here.”

Based on information shared with this newspaper, the DHBC lost six employees in 2020. This figure climbed sharply to 32 in 2021 and 45 in 2022. More alarmingly, however, is the fact that the bridge has already lost 55 employees between January and July 2023. With the Christmas season fast approaching, staff members of the Demerara Harbour Bridge are fearful of being dismissed at the hands of what they described as a “vindictive boss.”

An employee alleged that the General Manager has a history of refusing to renew an employee’s contract if he “has a problem” with them.

This publication was directed to an employee who has rendered 24 years of service to the DHBC but was given a letter informing him that his contract will not be renewed. That staff told Kaieteur News that he received a letter on July 7, 2023 informing him that he will no longer be working with the company effective August, 2023. He said the letter did not state a reason for this decision.

Subsequently, that employee informed the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill of the matter which is said to be under review presently. The frustrated ex-staff said he is still awaiting an update on his dismissal and is particularly worried about being able to provide for his wife and children.

This newspaper was told that the employees were told to bring evidence against the GM to the Board.

Time wasters

Meanwhile, GM of the DHBC, Wayne Watson in an invited comment told this newspaper that the employees leaving the entity had their “own intentions.”

He added, “I don’t know anywhere in Guyana where right now, people are sticking to jobs, especially people who want high salaries so if the complaint is the General Manager is the reason why people are leaving, I rather suspect they have their facts to support that.”

Watson said he sees no need to justify any position, but noted that his responsibility is to ensure that the bridge is safe for commuters. Consequently, he explained, “If people are being paid to work and they are not willing to work I will defend the right of the organization to take action to dismiss or to ensure that people who don’t want to work find another job.”

The General Manager contended that the DHB has a history of persons turning up to work to “waste time” but this work culture does not support the current demands of the bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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• President Irfaan Ali, Ravi Ramcharran, the Demerara Harbour, Wayne Watson

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