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These are the cheques that National Transport employees received today for two weeks work that they were owed. But not everyone got paid:

Phillip Jones: Former Operations Manager - NSTL
"Presently they are being paid two weeks pay and unfortunately some of us was not being paid for instance myself was not being paid, according to the labor department the receiver said that I am not an employee for national transport and that's the reason why I am not being paid today so I believe its something personal but I will let the attorney deal with it."

And while Jones has an attorney - these workers who did not get paid have nowhere else to turn:

Employee, NTSL
"I start to work with national transport from 22 August 2008 until the 10 December 2010."

Andrea Polanco
"That's when the receiver step in?"

Employee, NTSL
"Yes, and I haven't receive any kind of payment from them any at all. All what they are giving everybody is $600.00 that's all that they are giving everybody."

Andrea Polanco
"I know they ask you to bring in your documents and to sign up your name and said how much they owe you. Did you do all of that?"

Employee, NTSL
"I did all of that everything."

Andrea Polanco
"So what did they tell you today?"

Employee, NTSL
"Nothing, my name is just not on the list up there. Some kind of foul play is going on here. That's all I could say."

Andrea Polanco
"So what they tell you now? That you have to come back?"

Employee, NTSL
"I have to come back, Christmas is already here and no kind of payment from them and they have already abstract us with our job already without any kind of notice, nothing."

Employee, NTSL
"We haven't get any pay, all the workers from Benque haven't got any pay. According to Ms. Marisa, they say that Mr. Kevin say that we are private workers, but we are not private workers, we are national workers, we work for national. I have been working since national stated so I don't know why Mr. Kevin Castillo can't pay us. We suppose to get pay this week. We haven't got anything."

Andrea Polanco
"Approximately how many workers from Bengue?"

Employee, NTSL
"8 workers from Benque."

Andrea Polanco
"Not one of you got paid?"

Employee, NTSL
"Not one of us got paid."

Andrea Polanco
"What did they tell you that you all will get paid or you all will not get anything at all? They didn't give you any kind of indication?"

Employee, NTSL
"Well they tell us that they will check on Tuesday of next week, so we are not sure about that yet. Today is dark Christmas for true, not blue but dark. It's hard for us."

The Labor Commissioner says the problem is documentation and verification:

Ivan Williams, Labor Commissioner
"The department have been unable to receive official company records that would clearly indicate those persons who are employees of national transport and Bel Bus which are the only two companies that are under receivership. It is our understanding that there are several other companies that are either subsidiaries or in some relation with the national transport and clearly the receivership is only over those two companies I mention. Now not having the official records the issue arise as to who are the employees."

Andrea Polanco
"The employees who weren't paid today, when can they expect to get their salaries?"

Ivan Williams, Labour Commissioner
"Well again if we don't get the official records and we can't ascertain definitively then we are not sure as when we would be able to make representations. Also I must say that the two weeks wages that employees have gotten those persons are legal employees is merely a part payment. It is only a interim arrangement because we do not know what is going to happen in terms of whether the receiver will run the company and in that case we believe the person may be employed and so we are not determine in the event anybody is terminated what the termination benefits will be. I have not personally have any official discussion with Mr. Jones because I don't know who is really representing, he claim he is an employee of national transport."

Andrea Polanco
"He said that he didn't get paid and he thinks its something personal. What's the comment from the labor department?"

Ivan Williams, Labour Commissioner
"I have no comment on that Andrea, I will not get into that. Like I said records are what we are lacking, I want to say that anybody who has those records, those company records that are vital to resolving the issue to who are the employees."

And while many will have no paycheck for Christmas - there is an encouraging development; they may have a job in the future:

Phillip Jones: Former Operations Manager - NSTL
"The receiver has indicated that workers are only being paid two weeks due to the fact that they have intention to continue providing the service under national transport and I would like to encourage that the receiver did the responsible thing and try to employ all the workers to continue work. It's very hard right now and challenging to receive a job at this point in time so I believe that is something successful today."

According to an official release, "agreement was reached for two weeks wages to be paid to each worker as an interim measure, while the Labour Department seeks to obtain the official employment records and a clearer understanding of the employment status of each worker affected."

All employees of National Transport and Bel Bus Limited are being asked to visit the Labour Department in Belize City to assist in the determination of their employment status.