Short staffing in the Trinidad and Tobago  consulate in Toronto  is reported to be affecting the  level of service at the offices.

Several long-serving employees of the consulate have recently been sent home and no one has been hired  to replace them.

And nationals have been complaining about “longer wait time” to obtain fairly routine consular services.

One irate Trinidadian also said that some  of  the  officials at the consulate don’t seem to have  the answers to ” simple inquiries.”

“And trying  to obtain documents from Trinidad through the consulate in a timely manner can be a major problem,” he noted.

One  Trinidad and Tobago government official who spoke on condition of anonymity,  told the Caribbean  Camera that the problem at  the consulate is “really a  money problem.”

“The  government is almost broke,” he said, ” and has been having  problems paying salaries.”

One former employee of the consulate who was recently terminated, said he has not received  his  “full severance pay.”

For about two years now, there has been  an ” acting ” consul general at the office  in Toronto.

So far no one has been confirmed  in the post.