Banking, Insurance and General Workers Trade Union (BIGWU) president Vincent Cabrera is challenging all business organisations, especially the chambers, to name known businessmen involved in the drug trade. He was speaking yesterday at a news conference held by the trade union movement at Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU), Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain.
Cabrera challenged, "Each of them must volunteer the names of two known drug operators in the industry." He said white-collar drug dealers were known in the business community and it was time for the business organisations to turn their identities over to the authorities.
Cabrera's challenge came out of his criticism that the Government, through the state of emergency, was only targeting the "foot soldiers" in the drug trade and not the "chief executive officers and board of directors."He said these "foot soldiers" would easily be replaced by the drug dealers. Cabrera said if the Government does not deal with the heads of drug trade, the heads would continue to "exploit poor people."He said, "We will not be satisfied with the results of the state of emergency unless the Government detains the chief executive officers of crime." Cabrera said the trade union movement would be holding an indoor meeting in Tobago on September 15 and a national conference of all shop stewards and branch officers at the Oilfield Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) on October 1.
He said the state of emergency would not hamper the movement's plans towards a national strike.
Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) president Ancel Roget said the movement had applied to have an outdoor demonstration in Tobago next week, however, their application was denied. Roget said the movement was concerned over "inhuman" actions being taken by police officers and soldiers during the state of emergency. He said the movement condemned all acts of physical action against those being taken away by law enforcement officials during their raids. President of SWWTU, Michael Annisette, joined with Roget in condemning what he described as the "abuse" of detainees.
Annisette said the union had received reports from members who were detained for petty infractions and were being held in "inhumane" conditions. He said they had also received reports of physical abuse against detainees. Annisette said the trade union movement was in the process of hiring a legal team to offer free legal services to members of the public who believe they have been "abused" during the state of emergency.