Teachers angry over service fee deductions by travel agency

By SALLY TIWARI
TEACHERS in Central are disappointed over the increase in service fee deductions by WAP and Co Travel Services.
The travel agency is responsible for organising their travel arrangements and releasing their biennial leave entitlements.
Elizabeth Pisa, a teacher at Kemabolo High School in Hula, said the initial arrangements provided for a deduction of  10% from each teacher’s leave entitlements.
But, she said, when they turned up yesterday at the agency’s office in Port Moresby, they were told the fee had increased to 25%.
James Peter, a teacher with St Peter’s Vocational on Yule Island, Kairuku, said the 25% deduction was made after the firm deducted the cost of fares from their leave entitlements.
Philip Noah, of Roku Primary School, said they were told by the management of the travel firm that the increase was due to a number of reasons, including GST, bank fee, as well as to reclaim money owed by the education division.
Noah said the teachers were innocent and their money should not be used to pay off debts that did not belong to them.
Central province education division manager Titus Romano Hatagen dismissed the claim of outstanding debts to the agency, saying there was no such issue and that the decision was the prerogative of the firm.
Hatagen said he was not notified of the change in the fees until yesterday by the teachers.