San Ignacio/San Elena Town Council Fires Ten Employees
Also in the west, ten persons have been fired from the San Ignacio/San Elena Town Council. Municipal governments across the country are having trouble meeting their monthly expenses and have had to take cost saving measures. Over the past few months, councils have lost millions of dollars in revenue since the State of Emergency regulations took effect. Mayor Earl Trapp told News Five today that the persons were sent home but are expected to be rehired in the next four months when revenues pick-up. He says this is part of the council’s restructuring exercise promoted by COVID-19.
Earl Trapp, Mayor, San Ignacio/Santa Elena
“We have been in the restructuring mode and basically the idea initially was to layoff at least twenty people but when we studied the situation we realized that it would have been more short term than long term. When I say short term it means four months. So within four months I think we will be needing back these people. So because it is more short than long what we decided that we decided to pay them fifty percent of their salary until further notice but I believe that it will be more of a short term and the people that were on a more long terms basis that we believe we won’t be needing anytime soon then those are the people that we would pay off and we will be giving them the first option as soon as the time dictates. They will be given the first preference indeed.”
Hipolito Novelo
“But as of today, has anyone been fired or laid off?”
Earl Trapp
“Yes for the record, yes. We have laid off some people.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Can you say how many, Sir?”
Earl Trapp
“If I am not mistaken it is somewhere where, approximately ten. And we are starting from the revenue department from which we don’t want to really go and dictate anything to the people that are already suffering. It is like a slap in the face. So we don’t need to go house to house and ask people to pay property tax. We will ask them to pay through the social media and the media.”
