MSJ the vehicle for new T&T—Roget

President general of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget has issued another ultimatum to the People’s Partnership Government to address all of the MSJ’s demands by September or risk facing the wrath of the working class. Roget was speaking at yesterday’s Labour Day celebrations held at Charlie King Junction in Fyzabad.

On the grounds where Tubal Uriah Buzz Butler fought for the working class, Roget gave the Government three months to settle all outstanding negotiations. He also demanded that the Government meet all of the MSJ’s demands, including the implementation of the Workers’ Agenda.

Roget said if the Government failed to heed the warning, the Joint Trade Union Movement would journey to Port-of-Spain on September 7 in one of the biggest mass gatherings the partnership had ever seen. “We call on all workers, social and community groups, political organisations, NGOs, our unemployed brothers and sisters, students and youth, all decent and patriotic citizens—all of us who want a different and better Trinidad and Tobago—to join with the trade union movement on 7 September in Port of Spain,” Roget said.

“Let us give support for a People’s Agenda as we take Labour Day to the streets of Port-of-Spain.” He said it was time for workers to take decisive action to secure the country’s future. “We have shown our own power in the streets...We must now intensify that action and match it with the support for our own political vehicle—the MSJ,” Roget said.

“There is no question about it, all the traditional political parties have failed us. “We cannot remain with this old system of governance...We can only change the course of the future with the right choice of vehicle. “MSJ is that vehicle for a new Trinidad and Tobago.”

Roget also claimed the Government was controlling the T&T Police Service by influencing senior officers to doctor evidence in favour of government ministers. “Our information is that the police officer, who recently charged a certain government minister for using annoying language, was instructed by a particular senior officer in traffic branch to adjust his statement in favour of the minister,” he said.

Roget said such incidents do not augur well for the image of the Police Service. “The police must be allowed to do their work impartially without any fair of reprisal or fear of victimisation,” he added. Roget also said the People’s Partnership would pay a political price for breaking the Fyzabad Accord.

“They broke the social contract with the people of Trinidad and Tobago, when they broke the manifesto promise of putting workers at the centre of our country’s development,” he said. “We are against this Government because they are against workers.”