Senior Reporter
otto.carrington@cnc3.co.tt
A leadership row gripping the Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU), has triggered the formal intervention of the Registrar of Trade Unions, who has asked for a meeting with president Don Devinesh about complaints made against him.
Senior BIGWU members have accused Devinesh of collapsing the union’s executive and operating outside its constitution.
At the heart of the dispute are claims that the union’s central executive, which must have seven elected officers, has been reduced to just two - Devinesh and one vice president, after several resignations and expulsions.
Despite this, members allege that decisions on finances and governance have continued without a quorum.
“The executive has collapsed, plain and simple,” one veteran member, who asked not to be named, told Guardian Media.
“You can’t run a union with two people making all the decisions.”
Another senior figure, who also requested anonymity, accused the president of entrenching himself in power by stacking the general council with loyalists.
“He engineered votes to get rid of anyone who opposed him,” the member claimed.
“Now the council only rubber-stamps his will. That’s not democracy, that’s dictatorship.”
The situation reached a turning point in June, when Registrar of Trade Unions Edward Lai Fook formally summoned Devinesh to a meeting at his Duke Place office.
In a June 23 letter obtained by Guardian Media, the registrar confirmed that “several complaints” had been received regarding BIGWU’s management and operations, and requested clarification.
Devinesh, however, hit back. In a June 30 letter, Devenish acknowledged the registrar’s correspondence but insisted the union’s constitution already provides a “clear and binding procedure” for complaints. He further challenged the registrar’s authority, demanding to know which section of the Trade Unions Act was being invoked.
“Your letter does not indicate the specific section or sections of the act,” Devinesh wrote.
“In the interest of transparency and proper engagement, we respectfully request that you identify the sections being applied.”
The president also faces allegations of mismanaging resources.
One general council member alleged that a vehicle purchased with union funds is being used by someone outside the executive.
“The membership’s money bought that van, and it’s being treated like private property,” the member alleged.
“That even warrants a police investigation.”
Members have also questioned the creation of a $17,000-a-month post for an officer they claimed is focused on canvassing for the president’s 2026 election campaign, rather than dealing with the needs of workers.
“That is not what members pay dues for. It’s blatant misuse of our money,” one insider said.
Members who spoke with Guardian Media claimed while Devinesh has repeatedly reassured council members that the registrar “blessed” the union’s structure, documents told a different story.
“We’ve been misled,” one member said bluntly.
“That letter shows he was raising complaints, not approving anything.”
Another added, “We’ve written to the registrar, we’ve gone to the minister. Nothing changes. We are like toothless bulldogs. The only option left may be the courts.”
“If the executive lacks a quorum, any decisions it makes could be legally void,” they added.
“Members could pursue judicial review to overturn financial and administrative actions.”
“Who do we believe?” asked one member.
“Do we believe the president, or the documents in black and white?”
Devinesh, in his official reply to the registrar, maintained that BIGWU remains “committed to full compliance with the Trade Unions Act” and pledged continued “open, respectful communication” with the authorities.
Repeated attempts by Guardian Media to contact Devenish directly for comment on the complaints and accusations went unanswered.
