McLeod disappointed by MSJ’s decision

Labour Minister Errol McLeod has expressed his disappointment over the Movement for Social Justice’s (MSJ) decision to pull out of the People’s Partnership (PP). The MSJ officially withdrew from the PP last Sunday. McLeod, who returned home after attending a conference in Geneva, has not yet made any public comment on the MSJ’s withdrawal.

However, in his Labour Day address to the nation yesterday, McLeod said: “I am now deeply saddened by the current posture of some in labour. I am troubled to observe that some have threatened to pull away and fall back at the start of the road less travelled and along which our predecessors sought to propel us.

“The drumming and footwork by many who have found a new untrammelled right to protest and even to strike is testimony to our subscription to a freedom which was formerly frustrated.” McLeod said the naysayers might point to the examples of what they perceived to be wrong in the country but they “have yet to challenge themselves to go beyond the stage of identifying the problems and now work toward creating avenues to abate them.”

He said while he saluted them for rightfully highlighting the “ills of the country so that we may all merge our talents and partner to resolve them, in the same breath I challenge them to also observe and note what is right about this country.” The PP, the minister said, has done a lot for the labour sector over the last two years.

“Since the People’s Partnership government assumed the reins of leadership in May 2010, the ministry has, under my purview, sought to raise the prominence of vital issues to key labour demographics in our country, such as young people, women, (and) children.” The minister also pleaded with the labour movement not to use any type of violent protest to have their demands met.