THE Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) has called on the Government to clarify the whereabouts of $900 million allocated for backpay to teachers in the 2025 national budget.The union has subsequently advised teachers to work “strictly” according to job description, saying yesterday that it will explore all lawful options, including industrial action, within the confines of the ongoing state of emergency (SoE).Speaking at a news conference at TTUTA’s Carlsen Field office, the association’s industrial relations officer, Kerry Broomes, said legal guidance will also be sought to secure the missing funds.Broomes said the sum was allocated by former finance minister Colm Imbert, questioning where the money went and why it was not used for the designated purpose.He recalled Imbert stated in fiscal 2025 that $900 million was allocated to pay the arrears of teachers.He said Finance Minister Davendradath Tancoo had since indicated that the arrangement had to be ratified, and $900 million was allocated.However, Broomes quipped that “Mumford (a magician muppet from Sesame Street) passed through because the $900 million has disappeared”.“There is no money to pay teachers, the line item has disappeared, and now all of a sudden they need to quantify. But there’s a process that we use when we met with the CPO (Chief Personnel Officer) to quantify how much backpay will be paid, and we did that, and that’s how we came up with $900 million.“So how, now, does there need to be processes before any release can be done? Once upon a lie,” he said.No priority TTUTA president Crystal Ashe also spoke at the news conference and said teachers were being shown “blatant disrespect”.Ashe pointed to a media release from the Ministry of Education which had stated that teachers receiving their backpay was a priority.The TTUTA head knocked the ministry’s statement as untruthful, indicating that no such communication has been extended to the union or teachers.“Blatant disrespect. What we’re seeing here is just bad, a bundle of what we call lies. Let us stop the lies. Pay the educators the money, find the money. You have it,” Ashe said.Ashe called on the Government not to allocate the funds to other purposes, which the State may deem to be more important.He underlined the importance of education, saying “give educators their money”.On Monday, in the mid-year budget review, Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo announced provisions will be made in the national budget 2027 to meet obligations arising from ongoing negotiations with unions representing workers, including nurses and teachers.Ashe told the Express on Monday there was an initial indication from the Government which pointed to June 2025, which was later changed to January 2026 and then to the end of the first quarter of 2026.The TTUTA head yesterday again accused the Ministry of Finance of “moving the goalpost”.Asking whether teachers were expected to wait until fiscal 2027 for their dues, Ashe said the ball was now in the Finance Ministry’s court.He issued a caution that extracurricular activities which are hosted by teachers, development and correction of secondary assessment examinations, graduation ceremonies, and school registrations may also have to be placed on hold until 2027.Ashe indicated that TTUTA would not hesitate to take the necessary legal and other actions, noting that any industrial action would have to abide by the law under the SoE.TTUTA also highlighted benefits to which teachers were entitled and which have been removed, including access to psychological support through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).In April 2025, TTUTA accepted the Chief Personnel Officer Dr Daryl Dindial’s 5% offer for the period 2020 to 2023, with a spread of 1%, 1% and 3%, which represents a closure of the gap by 18.2%, followed by the consolidation of the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and other improved terms and conditions for members of the Teaching Service.Teachers were promised their new salaries by the end of January 2026.However, it was not until March that their 5% salary increase was reflected in their bank accounts, with backpay still outstanding and no clear timeline for when those payments will be made.
Where is $900m in backpay?
THE Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) has called on the Government to clarify the whereabouts of $900 million allocated for backpay to teachers in the 2025 national budget.
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