The Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training (MTEST) has welcomed the approval of supplementary allocations totalling nineteen million, eight hundred thousand dollars($19,800,000.) to facilitate outstanding salary-related payments and statutory obligations for staff of The University of the West Indies (UWI) and the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT). The approved funding reflects Government’s commitment to supporting the tertiary education sector and ensuring that employees receive payments due to them in a timely and equitable manner.

An allocation of thirteen million dollars ($13,000,000.) was approved under Sub-Head 04 – Current Transfers and Subsidies to facilitate retroactive payments in arrears to academic and senior administrative staff represented by the West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) at the Global Campus and University Centre units of UWI. These payments cover the periods 1 August 2014 to 31 July 2017 and 1 August 2017 to 31 July 2020. A total of 56 employees at UWI are expected to benefit from these retroactive payments.

Additionally, a further six million, eight hundred thousand dollars($6,800,000.) was approved under Sub-Head 06 – Current Transfers to Statutory Boards and Similar Bodies to support the payment of gratuity and statutory obligations for staff of COSTAATT. This allocation also facilitates salary increases approved for the period 2012 to 2018, which were implemented in April 2026. At COSTAATT, 326 employees will benefit from the approved salary increases, while 82 members of staff will benefit from gratuity payments and related statutory obligations.