Chaguanas Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CCIC) president Richie Sookhai says poor leadership is the root cause of T&T’s poor work culture.
Speaking during the CCIC’s Xmas functions and awards at the Passage to Asia restaurant in Chaguanas on Saturday, Sookhai also used research from surveys conducted to support his argument.
“According to the UK government in their Overseas Business Risk Assessment of T&T (2021), poor work ethics in our national labour force is one of the four main challenges we face as a country, as it leads to a reduction in productivity levels. Further, statistics from a study conducted by the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) illustrates that Trinidad and Tobago’s Annual Average Growth Rates of Productivity significantly dropped from 5.9 Percent for the period 2000-2010, to a low of 0.5 per cent between the periods 2010-2016,” Sookhai said.
“The lackadaisical attitude, poor work ethic and feeling of entitlement by our workforce threaten our productivity and efficiency levels. Let me illustrate an example. The average worker comes to work late, takes an extended lunch hour and leaves work early.”
He said the implementation of proper management systems and restructuring of business models must be done to account for measures tailored towards the improvement of overall productivity.
Sookhai questioned whether T&T is really suffering from rising unemployment or whether it was simply a refusal by some individuals to work. He said many vacancies are mostly being filled by migrants.
“Currently, our unemployment rate is at 4.50 per cent in the last quarter of 2022. Is the issue really due to lack of job availability, or is the issue one that relates to our sluggish work culture, where individuals refuse to work and are dependent on government assistance? Due to the lack of statistics on migrants…More than ever, we are seeing migrants from neighbouring countries filling job vacancies, usually lower-end jobs, which our locals refuse to work in. If these individuals are willing to work, it is our duty to provide training opportunities to help improve these workers’ efficiency in the workplace.”
Also addressing crime, the CCIC head said the crime rate continues to soar.
“According to the World Population Review, T&T ranks number six in the top ten 10 countries for highest crime rate, with an overall crime rate statistic of 71.63 per cent. This is not only unattractive for foreign investors, but it also impacts on local businesses. For example, losses from theft and burglaries, and even a decline in the number of customers’ in-store visits affecting retail sales. This will only continue to worsen from the economic pressures our country is currently experiencing.”
He said T&T also suffers from severe food insecurity, which has soared to a high of 72 per cent within the last two years.
“We are seeing supply chain disruptions in our international trading systems due to the dual hit from the ongoing pandemic and current war. Consider the following question, can food security and sustainability exist without the other? The answer is no. To be a sustainable economy, we as a nation must ensure there is food security by working together with the appropriate stakeholders to mitigate any negative impacts associated with commodity shortages, price increases through enhancement of crop productivity and resource efficiency. It even means forming alliances with neighbouring countries to import food, rather than seeking the same from distant nations, as this will aid in reducing the overall cost that is passed down onto the customer. It also means offering incentives to our farmers to occupy unutilised lands. Contributing to the issue of food security is climatic change.”
He said climate change is also adding to the people of T&T’s woes.
“This has resulted in widespread flooding throughout the nation’s major roads. Places that never experienced flooding are now battling with having to deal with the losses it incurs. Farmers have suffered thousands of dollars in damages, which led to a fall in the supply of market goods and an upward spiral in prices. Take for example the cost of bhaigan and tomatoes per pound today. Alleviating these issues is a collective effort. Together, as a business community and as a nation, we must identify the root cause of such problems and at the same time be able to provide suggestions to help authorities shift their way of thinking in dealing with these calamities.”