Bitter workers on the new secondary school building site yesterday unleashed a barrage of criticism on the management after their pay cheques bounced for the third day running.

The 75 or so men working for general contractor Pro-Active Management Systems Ltd questioned whether their health insurance and pensions had been fully paid up to date after complaining that their wages arrived late three weeks on the trot.

The men downed tools early yesterday morning and prevented others passing through the gates of the site with an unofficial picket line after calling for answers from their bosses.

Despite being told by general manager Arthur Ebbin and Works Minister Alex Scott that last week's pay cheques would be honoured by noon yesterday, they said they were growing increasingly concerned with the state of the project.

Some queried whether their health insurance and pension contributions had been paid and said they had run into difficulties when trying to claim for hospital and doctor's appointments, and prescriptions of late.

While Minister of Works and Engineering Mr. Scott held an emergency meeting with Mr. Ebbin at the site in Berkeley Road, Pembroke, to discuss the pay issue, the workers said they had had enough.

Some said they would be looking for other jobs.

"We have not been paid our wages, and we are wondering whether or not we have health insurance and pensions," said Jerome Maybury.

"I have been paying out every week, but I don't even know if my insurance and pension is up to date.

"I have been on the site for two years and have still not had a vacation. Everything you hear about how great the project is propaganda.

"We have one jack hammer for a $70 million project. It's a joke. We feel that we just get bold face lie after bold face lie. We have had enough."

The men kicked up a stink on Friday afternoon after they received their pay four hours later than planned - and then found the cheques bounced when they took them to the bank.

The workers tried to cash them again on Saturday morning, only to find the same scenario, and were told to go again yesterday morning.

However, when the men tried to cash in their cheques again early yesterday morning, the banks again turned them away.

However, Mr. Scott said yesterday that he had been assured by Mr. Ebbin that there was money in the Pro-Active bank accounts, but it simply had not been transferred to the payroll account on time.

He said the cashier who "incorrectly" turned workers away yesterday had made a mistake and was unaware that the money simply needed transferring.

He said the teller "should have honoured" the cheques.

Worker Troy Caines said: "Three weeks ago we stopped work because we had no insurance. From that time, we have not been paid on time.

"Thank goodness for my girlfriend supporting me. We have guys in here who have not paid their child support for three weeks. It's all lies that they tell us."

Another worker, who did not wish to be named, said: "We want to go back to work, but we want to go back to work under our conditions. We basically want to get paid."

And another Pro-Active employee, who refused to be named, said the construction workers had many concerns about the progress of the job.

He said: "It's so discouraging to be working without any job security. We really need to see Alex Scott.

"They can't get goods off the dock, and now we can't get paid.

"They blame Government and the Ministry, but this is happening every week."

One man shouted during the unofficial picket of the site: "Government f***** this job up. They gave it to the wrong company."

A tradesman, who has a number of years experience in construction, said he had never worked on a job like it.

He said: "There are no tools, no diesel and no gas to get the jobs done. It's ridiculous.

"I have worked in construction since I was 16 and it's the worst job I have ever worked on.

"They simply have no idea of how to run a construction site."

Yesterday, Mr. Ebbin did not return calls to The Royal Gazette, but as he left the site he said: "I have nothing to say. The money is in there. No problems."

Mr. Scott met with the men inside the gates and assured them that their money would be available by noon yesterday.

And afterwards he told The Royal Gazette that he had been most concerned that the men did not get their money over the weekend - which for many was rent week - but he was satisfied that it had just been a mix-up.

"There was money in the account and the company had every intention of paying it," said the Minister.

"It's a small firm doing a large project and they have limited resources, so where larger firms may have been able to breach some of these periods with their own resources, the Pro-Active group is dependent

upon the Government payment when the bills and invoices are submitted.

"I take very seriously that anybody who is entitled to a pay cheque should get it, if not before, when it's promised."

But when asked about the issue of health insurance and pensions, Mr. Scott said he had never heard that concern before.

He added: "This is the first I'm hearing of that, and that is something for me now to look into. We certainly will look over that."

Mr. Scott said on the issue of inadequate tools for the job, he said he understood that it was the subcontractors responsibility to provide the necessary resources for the job, and he said the subcontractors were the responsibility of Pro-Active.

The Minister said Pro-Active had not been paid additional money by Government yesterday to cover the cost of the wages, and said the pay cheques had been covered by the cash given to the general contractor last Friday by Government for payment of work carried out on the new public school.

He added: "Government has not bailed them out. It has not written an additional cheque."

A spokesman for the Bank of Bermuda said yesterday that cashiers made no errors when dealing with men off the Berkeley site.