Workers at the new secondary school building development last night said they were disgusted after receiving their pay cheques hours late - only to find them bounce once they eventually got them to the bank.

Angry workers leaving the Berkeley project in Pembroke yesterday said it was the third week running general contractor Pro-Active Management Systems Ltd. had failed to hand out their pay cheques at the agreed time of noon.

Clutching their cheques in their hands at 4 p.m., the said they feared they would be unable to get the cheques to the bank before they closed.

However, when workers did get them to the banks on time, cashiers refused to cash them.

One worker, who asked not to be named, said he took his own pay cheque to the bank at the eleventh hour yesterday, along with the cheques of two other colleagues.

“I stood in a huge queue, only to be told by the cashier that she was unable to cash them,” he said. “The cheques bounced. Everybody is livid. It's the end of the month and people have rent and bills to pay.

“My cheques have always gone through before without a problem, but I know that other people on the job have complained that this has happened to them before. It's not the first time cheques at the Berkeley site have bounced.”

The worker said he had been in the business for many years and had never had a problem getting paid. “This is not a common problem. I have worked for big and small companies and have always been paid on time.

“Something is very wrong when you are working on a $70 million project and you can't get your cheque on time, and then you can't cash it.”

And the construction worker said he believed the 75 or so Pro-Active employees would be at the site early on Monday morning to confront management over the issue.

When The Royal Gazette went to the site yesterday afternoon after receiving calls from concerned workers, cheques were being handed out, but disgruntled staff jeered and complained to management.

Worker Gino Mapp said many of his colleagues were too afraid to speak out in the media, but he believed in free speech said everyone had a right to receive their wages on time.

Outside the site yesterday just after 4 p.m., he said: “Getting a cheque this late in the day, you can't go the bank and change it. I really don't know what's happening. Every week they seem to be late. If they say they will give you a cheque at 12 o' clock, then you should get your cheque. I have been waiting here since 3 p.m. for my wages, and then after we did get them, we were told that we couldn't cash them until tomorrow. If you work, you should get paid, without question.”

And another unhappy worker, who would not be named, said: “Everybody is p***** off in there. They should just shut the place down. People are unhappy.”

Last night, general manager of Pro-Active Arthur Ebbin did not return calls to The Royal Gazette. But vice president of the Bermuda Industrial Union, Chris Furbert, said he had spoken to Mr. Ebbin and said all of the men should be able to cash their cheques today.

“My understanding is that the management was waiting for a cheque from the Accountant General,” said Mr. Furbert.

“I think they submit weekly bills to the (Ministry of Works and Engineering), and I think they actually have to wait for the Accountant General to give them money. They (Pro-Active) got their cheque tonight and were able to put it in the bank. It's all been resolved. Anyone that could not get their cheques cashed tonight (Friday), should get them cashed tomorrow.”

Last night, Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott apologised to any of the workers who were inconvenienced and said the problem had been due to administrative delays.

He said Pro-Active submitted bills for the project more or less every week, and the Ministry always had to check that the work had been carried out properly before it paid out.

“We did get later than normal this week,” said Mr. Scott. “We apologise to anyone who was inconvenienced.

“I know the funds were cleared by 3.30 to 4 p.m.; After that, I am sure any cheques issued would have been good.”

“I'm hoping that the matter is cleared up now. The problem was down to administrative delays.”

However, Mr. Scott said he hoped the Ministry would soon be implementing new protocols to prevent the problem arising again. And, while refusing to give information, he said they would probably mean that Pro-Active would submit bills by-weekly, as opposed to every week.

That would mean, Pro-Active was only waiting for money from Government every other week.

But Mr. Scott said he planned to hold a press conference soon to update the public about the progress of the school site, on Berkeley Road, and what steps were being taken to speed up its progress.

The new school is supposed to be open in September this year, however, reports have suggested that it will not be ready until at least the spring of next year.

However, Mr. Scott said he hoped some students would be able to utilise the site from the start of the September term.