Category Archives: Protest

Open Letter to Bro. Dookeran and the PP Gov’t

lettersDear Bro. Dooks,

When it come to books, I can’t win you at all, but when it come to common sense, I ahead by ah mile. I could understand yuh strategy in not wanting to continue in the vein of the previous regime, spending the people’s money willy nilly. And the fact that you will need some time to settle in before making your adjustments. But, when yuh saying and doing every thing to convince me that the treasury is empty, and the country don’t have money, please stop it. Like yuh taking we for ah ride to get we giddy headed.
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Labour Movement Versus PP Gov’t

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
January 17, 2011

PSA ProtestYear 2011 has witnessed the continued acerbic relationship between the membership of the labour movement and the seven-month old People’s Partnership (PP) government.

The powers that be in these unions/associations need to realize and understand very clearly that the mammoth, outstanding sums of money owed to them are the irresponsible, anti-labour legacy of the former PNM government under Patrick Manning.
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Legacy of 1970 events: Revolution, what revolution?

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
January 10, 2011

EmancipationFor many decades, the notion has been bandied about that a “Black Power Revolution” occurred in T&T between February – April 1970; however, the purpose of this article is neither to posit a definitive critique of the events of 1970 nor to question its historic legitimacy.
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A long, hot dry season?

By Raffique Shah
January 08, 2011

Raffique ShahTHE industrial relations climate in the country seems poised to take us into a long, hot dry season. Last week’s “double whammy”, protest action by a number of trade unions and a strike by maxi-taxi operators, signalled the start of what may well be a year of turmoil. Government seems to be unwilling to offer more than five per cent in salary increases to public servants. Should there be no compromise, other public sector and State enterprises’ employees would be forced to accept this as a benchmark for the 2008-2010 period.
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Separating fact from fiction

By Kevan Gibbs
November 28, 2010 – guardian.co.tt

Patrick ManningIn the past six months, many political know-it-alls claimed former prime minister, Patrick Manning’s silence was part of a master plan. After all, what was becoming an uncomfortable silence from the San Fernando East MP must have been because he fancied himself a comeback kid that would reclaim the leadership of Patrick’s National Movement.
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Trade Union Leaders Need to Chill

By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
November 01, 2010

PSA ProtestLess than one year has elapsed and now one sees that trade union leaders and others are pointing their acerbic artillery at the newly-elected People’s Partnership (PP) government. Indeed, such action is totally unwarranted, unwise and un-Trinbagonian, to say the least.

The powers that be in these unions/associations need to realize and understand very clearly that the mammoth, outstanding sums of money owed to them are the wicked/vindictive legacy of the former PNM government under Patrick Manning.
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Riding into the valley of death

By Raffique Shah
October 31, 2010

Raffique ShahTHERE are few reasons why the People’s Partnership Government should portray itself as a victim of circumstances the way the NAR did in 1986. Back then, Ray Robinson and his “party of parties” inherited an almost empty treasury. The George Chambers government had faced declining oil prices from OPEC-driven “highs” in 1973-77 to “lows” by the time Chambers assumed power in 1981.
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Wage Rage

Newsday Editorial
October 28 2010 – newsday.co.tt

President of the PSA Watson DukeANY responsible person is likely to be torn in his sentiment towards the wage talks between the Government and the Public Services Association (PSA) for members of the Public Service.

On one hand the Government’s offer of 0-0-1 percent for the past three years respectively is quite startling, alarming and really impractical for workers who have seen no freeze in the prices they daily face over the same three-year period.
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Clico Policyholders: Pay Us 40% Upfront

By Lara Pickford-Gordon
October 25 2010 – newsday.co.tt

CLICO BailoutClico policyholders want 40 percent of their investment in the Colonial Life Insurance Company Ltd “up front” and the balance paid off in government bonds. Persons who wish to liquidate their bonds should be free to do so and there will be no “middle man.”

This proposal has been put to the Government and was yesterday endorsed by scores of policyholders attending a meeting at Woodford Square, Port-of-Spain to get an update on negotiations between their representatives and the government inter-ministerial team headed by Agriculture Minister Vasant Bharath.
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