PHILIPSBURG--Prosec Security Company workers were paid their March salaries on Friday, but are still awaiting payment of the balance of their February wages.
The workers had received a US $300 advance on their February salary weeks ago. Two workers who work as security officers as well as doing office work were only paid for their security duties and not for work performed in the office.
Workers were told that they will receive the remainder of their monies when April invoices are paid.
Prosec Security is run by former Police Chief Commissioner and labour mediator Derrick Holiday. The workers’ February and March salaries had been outstanding, putting workers in a bind.
The company had an estimated 17 or 18 workers, some of whom have since quit. Prosec Security is said to have contracts with the Coast Guard, three locations of utilities company GEBE, University of St. Martin (USM) and Liccom NV and, as a result, its workers are posted at these locations. At least one location is said to have served Prosec with a notice of termination and will no longer be using its services in the future.
Workers have visited the Department of Labour for assistance, as well as the Tax Office, and were trying to secure an appointment with Labour Minister Emil Lee.
When Holiday was first approached about payment in February, staffers were told that they would be paid the following week. When this did not happen and workers approached him again and again, they were promised payment the following week. In March, workers were given US $300 each as a partial payment on their February salary and they had not received anything up until yesterday, Friday.
Prosec Security company has been in operation since 2014, after a split from Blend In Security Company, in which Holiday was also involved. Many of the workers have been with the company for several years.
