Trash will continue to pile up on St. Croix as the government’s offer to pay trash haulers for two months and offer contracts for future services was flatly rejected by two companies Friday.
Dwayne Fergus of Fergutrax Heavy Equipment and Gary Thomas of Paradise Waste Systems said they wouldn’t accept the government’s offer and would continue their strike. In all, four hauling companies owed more than $2 million went on strike Wednesday after a Turnbull administration aide told senators they wouldn’t be paid because there were no contracts in place.
Late Thursday, Attorney General Iver Stridiron said the contracts had been reviewed by the Department of Justice, essentially opening the way for payment. But Fergus and Thomas said the offer falls short of what is actually owed.
"That’s unacceptable to us," Fergus said. "We can’t accept two months' payment. We’re sticking to our guns until they get serious."
Thomas said he had not heard from Government House about an offer. He responded with a flat "no" after being informed of the two months' payment and contracts offered by the administration.
"I haven’t heard anything about where payments are or when they’re expected. I want my prior year’s money," he said. "To date it’s not come through."
The trash haulers struck twice last summer to get paid for work dating back to 1995. That stoppage ended after Lt. Gov. Gerard Luz James appropriated approximately $420,000 and arranged new hauling contracts.
Fergus, Thomas and other haulers to which the government owes money have been using their trucks to dump dirt on the fire at the Anguilla Landfill. The blaze broke out a week ago and has been smouldering since.
