00:00Public Utilities Minister Bari Poddarath is dismissing as PNM propaganda, a news report which raises concerns over Wausau's hiring of
00:10social media influencers at a reported monthly salary bill of over $85,000.
00:18First of all, I have no intention of dancing to the tune of the PNM nor its agents inside and
00:23outside of Wausau or anywhere else in the public service.
00:26Further, there was a process to hire persons. When the issue of hirings at Wausau was raised with me, I
00:32did indicate that Wausau had advised that some of these persons were on short-term contracts.
00:37These persons are eligible for employment just like anybody else. Once they went through the process, I have no difficulty
00:44with Wausau hiring persons who have gone through.
00:46The necessary process to legitimately be hired at Wausau.
00:50A number of the people in question have shared pro-government content on their respective social media platforms.
00:58According to the report, over 400 people were hired by Wausau following the 2025 general elections.
01:07TV6 News asked the minister whether he wanted to dispute any of the claims made in the article.
01:14I want to remind you, I am the line minister with responsibility for Wausau.
01:18However, I do not sit in the HR division or the finance division or the procurement division of Wausau.
01:25And therefore, the company continues to operate.
01:28And therefore, as I said, once people went through a process that Wausau is satisfied through the human resources department,
01:36I am comfortable with the information that Wausau has supplied to me.
01:41It is disingenuous, almost ridiculous, to suggest that these persons are hired as anything other than the job specifications within
01:50their remit or their job title.
01:53The minister is dismissing the concerns raised as hypocrisy.
01:58Further, I am still awaiting the media's publication on one road about it and several others that I could name
02:03who were financed through government contracts,
02:07sole selected by the People's National Movement Administration
02:11to spew vitriol against the United National Congress and others in our society.
02:17So, spare me the hypocrisy.
02:19Renessa Cutting, TV6 News.
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