Drama unfolded yesterday when Public Services Association's (PSA) president Watson Duke was locked inside the Central Bank Plaza minutes after "having a time" at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain. The PSA president is now calling for $1 million for "false imprisonment." Duke and scores of public servants took to the streets to demonstrate their disgust with Government's offer of 2-1-2 per cent for the period 2008 to 2010 and a lump sum payment of $2,000. Around 2 pm, Duke, a PSA executive member, a man wearing a Water and Sewerage Authority jersey, three attorneys, two members of the media, Ministry of Finance security and officials and about six police officers were under a tent in the plaza between the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance towers when the iron gate was locked.
Duke, who was sitting on a chair, signalled to a small crowd of public servants to stay calm. The gate was subsequently unlocked but no one attempted to enter. There was a discussion and Duke was allowed to leave. He later told the media he entered the compound at around 1 pm "with the sole intent of making an appointment to meet the Minister of Finance" through a receptionist, to request that he (Dookeran) "hold his hand on any action" since he (Duke) wanted to consult with his membership. Duke said after receiving Government's new offer on Tuesday, via the chief personnel officer, he was told he had to give a response by 4 pm yesterday. He said after he entered the gate he heard the lock snap behind him and it took close to 45 minutes for it to be re-opened, despite his protests.
Duke said he telephoned his attorneys, Rajiv Persad and John Heath, and a team of young attorneys arrived shortly. Duke claimed police officers also arrived and opened the gate telling him he was free to go.
He said: "I asked them to hold on until my attorneys came. When my attorneys arrived on the scene they met the gate locked again. "This clearly is a case of false imprisonment and we are considering taking charges against them... for what? What have we done?" Duke maintained he was going to conduct business, was unarmed and what he got was "lock-up." He said $1 million would be a suitable sum for the 45 minutes he "was locked up."
Earlier, after noisily protesting around the Hyatt, Duke told about 100 public servants to "order what allyuh want." As they occupied seats at the waterfront area they kept chanting "we shall overcome." Hyatt staff and security came out in full force, including general manager Russell George. Duke flashed his "platinum credit card" and treated the crowd to Evian water while he enjoyed a piña colada. They remained there for about two hours and had the staff busy serving them water. One woman remarked: "Yuh have to embarrass them (waiters). Put ah smile on yuh face nah." Others commented they had never been there before and it was their money which paid for the luxurious facility. The two-hour long "relaxation" cost Duke $2,036.65 for 42 bottles of Evian and four piña coladas, inclusive of all charges. Another protest is expected today.
Central Bank replies
In a statement issued at 8.43pm, the Central Bank said that it wished to "categorically deny holding Mr. Duke or anyone else against their will." The statement referred to an incident on Tuesday in which PSA president Watson Duke and others "stormed" the Central Bank plaza, blocking the entrance and banging on the glass doors for "several minutes." As a result of that incident, and after discussions with the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank decided to close off all but one of the entrances to the plaza.
Yesterday, according to the Central Bank, Duke was asked to leave the premises by another exit point "because several of the PSA members were standing outside of the gate that Mr. Duke was asking to use to exit the plaza." The trade unionist declined on several occasions to leave through the exit he was offered, insisting that he should leave through the exit where his comrades were gathered. The situation was defused when the police arrived on the scene and cleared the gate that Duke wished to use.