“[…] Pushing his deadline back to 17 February in the hope that his under-fire Attorney General comes up with some legislative arrangement that could pass muster won’t change the price of coconut water. It gives the forces opposed to his policy more time to mobilise. “[…] Most importantly, though, …
Read More »Daly Bread: Confusion without conclusion; Govt’s vaccination drive is industrial relations disaster
One of my compères, who hails from the south-west peninsula and who has retained the good sense rooted in many areas of our country, was dismayed at the outset by the approach of the government when the Prime Minister declared Government’s intention to make vaccination a requirement for persons employed …
Read More »‘Downright dangerous!’ MSJ condemns Jacob’s explanation for use of tear gas on protesters
“[…] What is also of extreme concern was the statement made by more than one senior police officer, including by the CoP (Ag) McDonald Jacob, that the tear gas was used shortly after protesters started chanting ‘Rowley must go’. “Mr Jacob surmised that this chant could have been the precursor …
Read More »Dear Editor: Prime Minister is feeling strain of bungled public sector vaccination drive
“[…] The Prime Minister was forced to concede defeat on his ‘mandatory/safe zones’ initiatives for the public sector. Not only was that completely bungled by his Attorney General-turned-Minister of Labour, recently turned Minister of Marine Affairs, but the labour movements called his bluff. “He now has to move his deadline …
Read More »Noble: Living in a Netflix movie; so much for myth of ‘magic-making’ lawyers in govt
In my former life, I used to be a marketing guy. A product like Netflix, therefore, intrigues me. While most persons only see Netflix’s dominance, I see the brand’s aspirational benefit ‘escape from reality’. The brand connects people with stories, providing fast, easy entertainment. It taps into your feelings as …
Read More »NJAC: Govt must overhaul health system, consult labour workers and implement hazard allowance
“[…] NJAC calls on the Government to urgently implement […] a special hazard allowance or similar benefit […] for all frontline workers throughout the health sector. “NJAC notes with interest, that there is already a precedent for this existing throughout the Caribbean and other parts of the world…” The following …
Read More »Kangalee: The AG is out of his depth and betraying his ignorance of industrial relations
“[…] In Faris Al-Rawi’s upside-down world, a worker is sent home by an employer in an effort to coerce the worker into accepting the employer’s terms and conditions; and if the worker does not accept, she is deemed to have abandoned the job or been dismissed. “In actual practice, if …
Read More »Noble: Leadership to vaccinate; as deaths climb, how will our leaders stop the carnage?
Leaders make a difference to a vaccination drive. When they take a public vaccination, they send a message to their followers or employees that the vaccine is safe and the compassionate thing to do. When leaders act responsibly in this way, others will follow. This behaviour modelling fits into a …
Read More »Oh for f*ris sake! Live Wire underwhelmed as AG meets unions, plus Keithos loses ‘dictator membership’
Faris (pronounced far-risk) Verb: (1) to half-arse a task for the superficial benefit of being seen to do it. ‘When it was her time to wash the wares, Aaliyah farissed them studiously—she left them almost as dirty as they were before.’ Noun: a person with a comically disproportionate view of …
Read More »Dr Rowley seeks to address rampant virus with ‘public sector safe zones’; but will Duke shoulder arms?
At just past 4pm today, the Ministry of Health reported 33 deaths from Covid-19 over the past 24 hours. And, in a statement that is likely to be lost in the shrill of responses to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s latest promised pandemic measures, chief medical officer Dr Roshan Parasram …
Read More »AG asks court to examine Duke’s THA and PSA posts, union site says political and union roles ‘inextricably linked’
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Faris Al-Rawi has turned to the High Court for an interpretation of the Tobago House of Assembly Act and, specifically, a determination as to whether Watson Duke can legally continue in his dual role of THA deputy chief secretary and Public Service Association …
Read More »Dear Editor: Could Duke keep day job if he was Massy chair? So how, Mr Weatherhead, is PSA job different?
“[…] What next Mr Weatherhead?! If we allow trade unionists to perform their full-time duties at their unions and still take up full-time jobs in the executive branch of government or in the executive of the THA, why can’t the chairperson of ANSA/McAl or the Massy Group of Companies do …
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