“The Minister [Marlene Mc Donald] wishes to discourage citizens from taking such irresponsible and injudicious action and in particular to remind Public Service employees that, as a rule, persons employed in the essential services are prohibited from withholding their services whether or not in sympathy with institutions in which they …
Read More »Gilkes: Happy In-Dependence: reviewing 56 years of cynicism and self-hate
Happy birthday Iere; yuh tun 56… which means yuh mature, and with maturity comes reasoning and a clearer understanding of who you are and what you still need to do to reach where you want to go. But that’s when yuh mature, not when yuh eh sure of yuhself, confused as to …
Read More »Vidale: From powerless slave to impotent employee; why emancipation hinges on labour struggle
“There is a closer nexus between the process of Emancipation Day and Labour Day than many of us seek to understand… According to Brereton, ‘the planters after 1838 wanted to make freedom merely a nominal change in status, while the [formerly enslaved] wanted to win a real economic independence of …
Read More »Dear Editor: Crime, corruption and cockroaches; Griffith was appointed to protect elites, not regular Trinbagonians
“The national conversation on crime—as advanced by the same elite—has been about a few devious miscreants holding the country to ransom; and once they are brought to heel, the country’s crime problem will be solved. “Unfortunately the wider public has for lack of any other voices openly countering the rhetoric, …
Read More »Master’s Voice: Black labour pains: By the sweat of MY brow; thou shalt eat bread
“I have […] great doubts whether the Cooly and the African are morally and mentally capable of being acted upon by the same motives in this island on their first arrival as labourers are in more civilised countries… “The only independence which they would desire is idleness, according to their …
Read More »STREET VIBE: Being infected with HIV by your own Gov’t adds to T&T’s litany of woes
“All blood must be tested to determine at least ‘type’ and, one would expect, for other possible infections, including hepatitis, sickle cell, etc. “Clearly this is not the case with the blood bank in T&T. This explains how not one, but several persons, have become infected with transfusions. What is …
Read More »T&T needs tough treatment to cure foreign capital addiction; and unions have role to play
With the election of US President Donald J Trump, international policy and geopolitics are fast changing, becoming more and more unpredictable. Trinidad and Tobago is certainly not immune to the down-stream developments, especially since we depend on foreign investment and trade for the majority of our economic output. One such …
Read More »STREET VIBE: Roget’s retarded, regrettable error; irresponsible to give BP red card
“The mere decision by BPTT to have their platform built probably some place in Texas speaks volumes about our work ethic. “It will eventually drive business away from this land, where parasitic unions and their leaders still dress up in comrade uniform to hold the nation hostage with their unreasonable …
Read More »The Politics of Labour: why Governments fear Trade Unions
I want to start by quoting some comments on the impact of wage increases on the economy. High wages wrenched by the trade union movement, led to capital intensive investment since investors preferred to use more machinery rather than pay the high cost of labour High wages were jacking up …
Read More »Plantocracy v People power: A political case for the union movement
Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) party organiser Akins Vidale makes a case for the Trade Union Movement (TUM) to be seen as a viable political third party: The pats on the back have been too many to count since the 2013 Local Government National Debate. However, on too many occasions, …
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