Welcome to our Virtual Village!!   Where would you like to go first?    

OWTU SPEAKS 2007-04-02

It the team is tired playing the job of good cricket, is’nt time them that we should consider pensioning them off? 

Good evening and welcome to OWTU Speaks.

The West Indies Cricket World Cup Team should go home except that they do not have far to travel and they will hardly encounter passionate, belligerent and disappointed fans like has been the fare of other humiliated teams in international sport.  These chaps seem only a trifle better off than an ill prepared common entrance class of children coming from dysfunctional homes.  They appeared to all belong to the silliest of positions between mid-on and long stopped capability of playing a competitive game of spectator cricket.

If they are too tired to play good cricket – the job that they are paid to do – then why not give them a long rest, or perhaps even pension them off.  With God father’s election promise to raise NIS pension to $2,000, these weary and retired cricketers should not do too badly either.

But really, it is not easy taking so much blows.  It’s as though we are condemned to be blessed with licks.  Is like its cut-tail after cut-tail.  We must ask – ‘Is this a season for cutasstrophy?  What has gone so wrong with us that everything seems falling down?  The criminals are in control nowithstanding the slight drop, statistically, in criminal activity; corporate manslaughter is still stalking  industrial progress as the Occupational Safety and Health Act takes long to grow teeth; our health delivery system continues to be in incubation while private institutions demand money or your life; the justice system suffers convulsions which shake the people’s confidence nearly like the earthquake which caused the destruction of Port Royal;  our backward American influenced multiple choice education system continues on a path of irrelevance and philosophical underdevelopment; the House of Representatives is unceremoniously closed and its sittings suspended because on one tenant’s defiance against eviction.  All systems seem therefore, to be on auto-pilot but with a technology that is closer to obsolescence than trusted integrity.

All of these and as one seeks respite in some good cricket – eleven (11) weary and fatigued men take early retirement and abandon us all in the gully and long off.  It was disappointing and shameful.  Is there the testicular fortitude to do something about it before it gets worse or would there continue to be a string of no-balls?  May we be contrite and reflective this holy week.

Have a good and safe one.

I am Errol Mc Leod for OWTU Speaks.

OWTU SPEAKS 2007 APRIL 04

Good evening and welcome to the OWTU Speaks.  Whether as Prime Minister or Executive President we would have very serious reservations about our head of state and government being too sophisticated a person.  We will prefer to be always not ready for the sophistication that goes with the dimple faced Baby Doc all powerful autocrat whose every pronouncement exposes a tendency to trammel our freedoms.  It must not be allowed.  It must never be allowed!

I think that more than it might have insulted our intelligence, the puerile and irresponsible remark about the people not being sophisticated, revealed the ignorance and pea-brained capacity of the speech maker.

Let us examine the word ‘sophisticated.’  The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English says:  “to be sophisticated is to be involved in sophistry and thus mislead by it; To deprive (person, thing) of natural simplicity, make artificial by worldly experienced.”

Mt. Manning no doubt craves to be seen as the sophisticated in Trinidad and Tobago.  So, let him be with his singular good fortune.  The same Dictionary says that ‘unsophisticated’ means: ‘Natural, ingenious, innocent; not adulterated or artificial.’

Now, we may not be bright but something quietly suggests to us that our leaders will do a whole lot better if they were to possess a measure of naturalness, ingenuity, humility and for good measure, some innocence rather than the arrogant, condescending and obnoxious personalities that too many of them seem to characterize.  But perhaps, if the majority of the citizenry were a little less-unsophisticated, those leaders who insult our intelligence and abuse the privileges which we afford them would need all the sophistry to hold on to their positions.

We must think deep and more critically and see beyond the silver tongued articulation and hair brained and dimpled smile that often speaks the vacant mind.

We may well find that, as unsophisticated as we are, we possess the art to view their minds’ construction in their faces.

Have a good evening.

I am Errol Mc Leod for the OWTU Speaks.

OWTU SPEAKS 2007-04-06

Good evening and welcome to the OWTU Speaks.

I thought I might move directly from the positive through the comparative to the superlative to identify this Christian day of great significance as ‘Beast Friday’ until I heard the news about there having been five murders in the past twenty four hours.  And then when I saw the daily newspapers all three of them carried on the front pages more evidence of the blood letting society that we have become with their headliners of the vehicular accident which took the lives of the teenaged Chase sisters.  One might argue that the day ‘Good Friday’ is a misnomer in that that day, more than two thousand (2000) years ago, was associated with barbaric cruelty and death and great suffering.  But on the other hand it can be contended that that brutality, suffering and death were the sacrifice that supposedly cleansed the world, forgave our venial and mortal sins and released the spiritual good in man so that he may have a rebirth in righteousness as Jesus resurrected from the dead.  Man remains with that choice even as he elects, most often, the path of least resistance and instant self gratification.  Man is on test all the time.  Whatever his position, his religion, whichever his God-man is on test.  And at the next level, whether in this life or in the hereafter, there is room and a place for all but we must pass the test.  You can’t monkey around and bling below par minus 20 and demand that you get a squeeze on the bench occupied by those who burned the midnight oil covering all areas of the curriculum.

You have to lift yourself out of your morass and be positive about where you are going.  You must prepare for the test and the comparative standards which it brings together.  And if you are well prepared, very well prepared, superlatively organized and prepared you would not be bothered by either early or late notice that 30% raters would not be squeezed-in among good, better and best performers.

Let us on the occasion of this period of Christian reflection, abstinence and sacrifice, resurrect the good community relations which we once had.  The sound parenting and guardianship, belief in and knowledge of God, value for life, family and education and honest employment of one’s resources for growth and development.

Happy Easter Holidays.

I am Errol Mc Leod for OWTU Speaks.

OWTU SPEAKS 2007 04 13

Good evening and welcome to the OWTU Speaks.  The last one term regime had also gone on a spending spree hoping to dupe the electorate into returning it to office with an increased majority which it might call its own.  They were spending without rhyme but with expensive reasons – reasons fuelled by gluttony and avarice.  They gathered all of their carpet baggers and cronies, pimps and peddlers in a wild assault on the milch cow and public purse.  Their chances at being returned to office were doomed by their own greed and internal discard as has always been the end among crooks.  They paved so many roads and repaved them again as if to cover and obliterate some contracts which had gone immediately before.  They paved surfaces which had no viable foundation beneath them.  They even paved on mud.  There was no plan to the scheme other than to deceive and create opportunity for malfeasance.  Today, there is great skepticism and suspicion that the change which the electorate effected is a mere exchange.  The profligacy which adds buoyancy to the arrogance of those in charge ………..is not in the $600m and more in cost overruns that we are sure to see as ‘Colombo’ attempts the paving and rehabilitation of his 500 km’s of roads across the country.  The profligacy is in the absence of a proper over-arching national transportation plan which identifies solutions to the productive time lost in traffic jams wherever you travel in the country these days; which delineates the roads which need rehabilitation and the many necessary new roads required in a network.  The excesses are to be discovered in the duplication of road works already expensed and being expensed by State agencies such as Petrotrin and one or other of those Rural Development companies which were recently formed.

And what in heaven’s holy name will have us spend $148m on the Prime Minister’s residence?  Is it not the arrogance of a privilege which the electorate had given the Prime Minister – a privilege which Mr. Manning considers a right?  $148m?  In the midst of the country’s inadequate and inefficient physical infrastructure, and a social infrastructure that is all but collapsed?  Or is it that one has in mind the Presidential Palace instead of prime Minister’s residence?  Does this not remind us of the butched plans (10 moths ago) to acquire a $350m Executive Jet fit for a President?  Do we not remember that it was ‘Colombo’ who was appointed to explain away that there was no connection between the Bombardier Jet plane test flight and plans to contract out the installation of a rapid rail system?  It was even suggested that Trinidad and Tobago was attempting a demonstration of magnanimity in the provision of executive travel for use by regional heads even as those heads found their own means to travel to Caracas to sign on to an alternative oil deal – abandoning Port of Spain in the process.

The electorate dealt appropriately with ‘crookesh’ in the past.  We won’t be surprised if it dismisses ‘mookish’ in the immediate future.

It is said that a word to the wise is sufficient.

Have a peaceful and enjoyable weekend.

OWTU SPEAKS 2007 04 16

Good evening and welcome to the OWTU Speaks.  The last regime had also gone on an electioneering binge of a spending spree hoping to dupe the electorate into returning it to office with an increased and comfortable majority which it might call its own.  They had spent without rhyme, but as was to be later discovered, with very expensive and wasteful reasons – reasons fuelled by greed for gain.

They gathered all of their detestable carpet baggers and cronies, pimps and peddlers in an obscene and wild feast on the milch cow and public purse.

They spent more than $1B paving so many roads and repaving them again as if to spread asphalt over and obliterate some contracts which had gone immediately before.  They paved surfaces which had no viable foundation beneath them.  They paved everywhere and on private property too.  They even paved on mud.  There was no sensible and wholesome plan to their road paving other than a scheme to deceive and create opportunity for malfeasance.

Today, there is great skepticism and suspicion that the change which the electorate in 2002 is really a mere exchange.

The profligacy which is exacerbated by the buoyant arrogance of those in charge – is not in the $600 m which ‘Colombo’ will spend on paving and road rehabilitation between now and the general elections.

Even after another 3-400 m dollars are added for cost overruns and facilitation fees, the profligacy and squandermania will be seen in the absence of a proper over-arching national transportation, traffic and road net work plan which ameliorates the present horrors and proffers solutions to the traffic jams which have become the order of the day and hour wherever you travel in the country these days – repetition here is for necessary emphasis.

Prime Minister’s residence?  Is this not a blatant demonstration of disrespect and arrogance of a privilege which the electorate had given the prime Minister – a privilege which Mr. Manning has arrogated to a right? – in the midst of the country’s inadequate and inefficient physical infrastructure, and a social infrastructure that is all but collapsed?  Or are we erecting the palatial residence of an Executive President whose powers, rights and privileges there must be none to dispute?

And with the Presidential Palace we may have to provide an Executive President’s Jet Plane.  Do we remember that it was ‘Colombo’ who was designated to dispel strong rumours of an intended acquisition of an Executive Jet fir for a President?  And this – after a test flight had already paved the way for a Bombardier supply?

Just keeping the issues alive so that they are not steam-rollered under the asphalt in this silly season of paving.

I am Errol McLeod for the OWTU Speaks.

OWTU SPEAKS 2007 04 18

The ‘OWTU SPEAKS’ welcomes you to its audience of ardent pursuers of sensible talk, independent views, criticisms and ideas sometimes spiked with a little humour.  We remember the 1975 struggle for Peace, bread and Justice and the wage settlement which followed it.  There is this joke about the agricultural worker who in his excitement upon receiving his back pay, purchased a refrigerator and a television set only to be disappointed by the fact that his house was not wired for electricity.  That same fella and his family – poor unfortunate souls – witnessed how pipe was being with a Singh and Kam/carder chorus ‘Water for all in 2000’ as though the Ganga River was in Caroni Arena, Cocoyea or Penal.  Disappointment again by a drought that has lasted so long that it has seen the sun rise and set, the house collapse and now the baliser withering since manning.

Seven years and three General Elections later, the residents on the central plains and undulating South lands are still without water as more election piper talk is chattered to fool them.  There are strong indications though that this time around the people will not take basket from anyone whether he be in the sun that has set or among withering flowers.

When we talk about the country’s inadequate and grossly inefficient physical infrastructure we point to the absence of a proper road traffic and transportation system; we point to an improper and unhealthy water distribution system and the lack of regular supplies to large geographical areas and significant population centres in the country.  It is against the background of these, that we will see the mismanagement of the country’s resources and the obscene misplacement of $148m in the construction of a Presidential Palace for the Prime Minister.

We must take note too of the invitation to attend and then the diplomatically bungled retraction of said invitation to the Energy summit in Margarita.  There is more, much more than meets the eye in the Caricom/Port of Spain/Caracas relationship.  Or colloquially speaking – “there is more in the mortar than the pestle.”  And in terms of energy industry expressions – ‘there is more than just oil and gas in the pipeline running across the gulf between Maracaibo and Tocopito.’  Everybody with an elementary understanding of some regional and geopolitical issues of the day, will know that the currents in the Atlantic are affecting the ebb and flow in the Gulf of Paria.  We are aware too that Commandante Hugo is not given to quiet diplomacy his most noble intentions toward Venezuela’s and Latin America’s poor now withstanding.  And on the other side, el Presidente Patricos de Manos understands neither quietness nor diplomacy and his grasp of the regional and geopolitical issues is suspect.  There is more behind the invitation being extended and then retracted.  It was not intended that the invitation would be advertised as it was – to show off and to provide for external advice and perhaps instructions as to this side of the gulf’s intervention.  Enough said on that!  Suffice it to say only that a Foreign Affairs Minister, worth his salt would have properly advised his head on how one responds in delicate situations such as this one.

The Desalination Plant takes water from the Gulf of Paria, puts that water through a highly technical reverse osmosis process to remove salt, solids and other impurities before that water is pumped and distributed for industrial and domestic use.  Each time that the integrity of that process fails tens of thousands of our people in Central and South are affected adversely.

Are we perhaps to investigate the integrity of our commitment to sound cross-border regional trade economic and political relationships?  Listen for the OWTU speaks on Monday. , Wednesday and Friday on 90.1fm.

Have a good evening!  I am Errol Mc Leod for OWTU Speaks!

OWTU SPEAKS 2007 04 20

Good evening and welcome to sensible talk, independent views, criticisms and ideas.

In 1993 September, the Prime Minister promised that electricity tariffs would be cheaper upon the divestment of the generation facilities of the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission and that workers’ jobs will be secured.  This of course has not been realized and was never expected to be realized except perhaps by the most gullible and rabid then of the Prime Minister’s supporters.  Southern Electric Corporation of the United States invested $62m (US) to acquire 39% in the Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago and to provide for some repairs, retrofitting and working capital on Plant, Machinery and Equipment which T & TEC committed to its 51% of the business.  The remaining 10% were taken by Amoco Corporation.

The arrangement to facilitate the economic and financial survival of that divestment deal has largely benefited the minority shareholders, Southern Electric Corporation succeeded by Mirant Corporation and Amoco succeeded by BP LLc.  T & TEC, the majority shareholders, was assigned the majority burden, it having to procure the natural gas necessary to fire the three (3) generation Plants at penal, Point Lisas and Port of Spain.  Now, natural gas don’t come cheap and T & TEC has been unable to meet its commitment to its supplier of natural gas to be paid for not by Power Gen but by itself as T & TEC while the unburdened Generation operations therefore realized unprecedented profits, the not inconsiderable benefits of which accrued to Mirant scored big.  Indeed, Mirant in Power Gen had been like Australia in Cricket world Cup 2007 – they lost nothing, absolutely nothing.

As a direct result of this ill advised divestment deal in 1993, consumers of electricity and of all classes have had their tariffs increased twice instead of being lowered as the Party faithful were promised in the Prime Minister’s campaign to demonize the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union and its leadership.  But not only that, SEC and its successor Mirant, two (2) years from Power Gen’s inception here, effected a Separation and Retrenchment scheme which saw nearly 20% of its workforce being sent home.  Today, after they have had their fill, Mirant rewarded its Executives for profitability and dumps its 39% share holding in Power Gen to another Multinational – a contemptuous slap in the face and kick in the crotch of those without testicular fortitude and with little sense of national interest.  Mirant Corporation ended 2006 with big profits and gave its Chairman $9m – that’s US $(m in total compensation last month March 2007.

The Atlanta based company paid its Chairman and CEO, Ed Muller $1m (US) in salary; $2.4m in stock awards; $4.2m in stock options; $1.4m in non equity incentive (i.e. cash) compensation and $25,000 for his estate planning and tax preparation – all $US.  One can only speculate how much of those record profits were skimmed off the financial operations and management contracts at the Power Generation Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited.  And ironically, this same company is denying its Trinidad workers a decent price-indexed wage settlement over which we are locked in battle at the Ministry of Labour at this time.

The national and local interest perspective which had for many years been pursued in our immediate post independence period has been pursued in our immediate post independence period has been all but surrendered for the narrow personal and political self interest of a few leaders and their technocratic cronies.

It is in this regard that we are taking note of what is appearing to be an about turn on our hitherto progressive move to localization of the domestic banking sector.  The OWTU has an eye on the substantial Pension Funds in some of which RBTT is Trustee and Investment Manager.  We will not take too kindly to RBTT being taken over by any foreign banking outfit however powerful.  And it’s not just our Pension Funds; it’s also the interest of the hundred of workers who have hitherto felt they were too royal to join a Trade Union.  Even so the OWTU will defend their interest if requested to do so.  Would the Government say and do something to assure those workers who are threatened?  Or are we marching into 2020 without flag or national identity?

I am Errol Mc Leod for the OPWTU Speaks.

OWTU SPEAKS 2007 04 26

Good evening and special welcome to the OWTU Speaks.  The past week has seen much debate and conjecture surrounding the abuse of the foolish 15 year old child whom it is apparent, arrogated unto herself, licence to engage in activities, permitted hypocritically, for adults.  The debate touched on matters of parental control and influence; the society’s subscription or lack of it, to the law and established rules and standards of behaviour – among others.

We may remember a few long time sayings – some, foolish excuses but the great majority, philosophically sound and still relevant today.

Remember the one – ‘yuh make children but yuh dog make their minds?  This one is absolute rubbish!  The environment in which children are raised invariably shapes their thinking and the inclinations of their paths.  And what about the one – ‘Nearer the church sometimes further from God.”  This one could not be more appropriate except if the shepherd had abandoned his immediate flock in the instant case.

Parents even though they may be busy leaders and pastors are irrevocably responsible for the influences to which children are exposed and the examples they will follow.  And yes! There were the social children things which they attended and enjoyed.  In the old school, children were assigned minor domestic responsibilities which prepared them for adult life and when they were not attending Sunday School they were encouraged to read, read, read, as a means to acquiring knowledge.

And talking about reading and developing literary skills we remember a most foolish and perhaps illiterate response which an internationally acclaimed writer gave as he was quizzed by some better inclined children.

The particular acclaimed writer may have become exhausted by his own arrogance and contempt for his abandoned homeland when he told hundreds of young, intelligent and bright children last week that he had always though and felt that literature was for grown adults.  The writer seems to us – was born big and just landed in immense knowledge and ability to write.  One wonders whether Sir would have been allowed to be so contemptuous to a class room of young students in Hackney, London.

We suspect that they may not have even bothered to attend his presentations or read his books.  Daft and uncouth he was.

Have a safe evening and restful night.

I am Errol McLeod for OWTU Speaks.

OWTU SPEAKS 2007 04 27

Good evening and welcome to the OWTU Speaks.  We will mark International Workers’ Day – May Day – next Tuesday with a protest march in San Fernando.  We begin our March at 9.00 a.m. from the OWTU Headquarters on circular road, through the streets of the southern City of San Fernando and ending with a mass Rally on Harris Promenade.  Workers employed in all sectors of the economy, the unemployed, the under-employed, pensioners, community activists, every one who has something to protest – are all invited to participate.  Our protest activity will be disciplined, deliberate and with purpose.

All our members who are dissatisfied with their employer’s handling of the issues affecting workers’ terms and conditions of employment are expected to be there demonstrating such dissatisfaction. 

The failure of the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission to meet and treat with the OWTU concerning wage and salary Negotiations for its workers is vexing enough to push those workers to action which emphasizes the essential nature of their service and the Management’s secondary and lukewarm response.  And the CPO’s unresponsiveness in this case underlines the management’s don’t care a damn attitude in relation to its employees and service to the consumers of electricity.

The recalcitrance of the Power Generation Company locked in conciliatory talks with the Union at the Ministry of Labour underlines in great measure the failure of the government’s experiment with the privatisation and deregulation model which it effected in 1994 and which benefited the US Southern Electric Corporation and Mirant Corporation and put Trinidad and Tobago and T & TEC in a most advantageous position.  There are more than enough reasons for the T & TEC and Power Gen workers to be angry and to demonstrate that anger on May Day – next Tuesday.

Even as we met earlier today, the CPO and the Administration at UWI continue to be insensitive to the Admin and Technical Services Staff’s demands for equity and justice in the approach to settling terms and conditions of employment at UWI, St. Augustine.

The University’s Management continues to refuse to make even such offers as had been made by the CPO in negotiations with Public Service employees with whom the UWI workers – all 900 of them in the bargaining unit are dissatisfied and are expected to continue their protest action on May Day and in solidarity with other employee groups affiliated to the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and NGO’s.  And there are many unsettled and long outstanding issues on which the Management at Petrotrin continues to drag its feet – from safety, environmental, health and medical issues to Pension and Retirement matters, Job Security, Training and Development, Contracts and corruption to iterate a few.  The Petrotrin workers in all areas of the company’s operations have given notice that enough is enough and in some cases too much and that come May Day they will take their protest to the streets.

The OWTU’s view is that an energy worker is an energy worker, is an energy worker – as an oil worker is an oil worker is an oil worker.

Consistent with that view, the NP workers are expected to be not left behind in matters of general terms and conditions of employment in the energy sector.  It is incumbent upon them therefore to engage in struggle and solidarity with fellow energy sector workers.  Power must be seen on the streets.  None is to be left out!  All will be identified and counted on Tuesday May 1^st 2007.  If you are a worker, if you are without a job, if you are affected by high food prices, water shortages, unsafe and unhealthy conditions, come join OWTU, CWU and FITUN on Tuesday May 1 – International Workers’ Day.

Organize, Mobilize, have a safe weekend.

I am Errol Mc Leod for the OWTU Speaks.

OWTU SPEAKS 2007 04 30

Good evening and welcome to the OWTU SPEAKS.  All workers should march behind their Trade Unions to-morrow, May Day.  All workers are reminded that their Trade Union’s strength is in their numbers.  Where ever you work, whomever may be your employer, your individual strength is in the collective and vice-versa.  The improvement in your terms and conditions of employment, the settlement of reasonable collective agreements with equitable wage and salary rates, the viability of the business enterprise or service in which you are employed, depend on your strength in numbers.  International Workers’ Day is one occasion on which the strength of workers and therefore their Unions is demonstrated.  Tomorrow, the OWTU and the other FITUN affiliates demonstrate in San Fernando.  Workers’ Power is on the streets.

In your communities, if you must have passable roads; if you must have good sanitation: proper drains, garbage collection and a decent water supply – the practice has been to demonstrate and protest.  All affected communities are invited to join our protest demonstration to-morrow.  Let the struggle of the workers be united with the struggle of the communities – it is the only power which affects the politicians. 

And you are affected, all of us by high and rising food prices and that of housing and building materials.

Promised consultations on these really offer no relief as have the platitudes at other recent talk shops.  Tomorrow we demonstrate again against the high prices of food and everyday staples.  We gather at 8.30 a.m. at circular Road Headquarters of the OWTU from where we would begin our march through the streets of San Fernando ending with a mass Rally on Harris Promenade at which all of the issues will be addressed and a plan of action unveiled.

All workers – blue and white collar; farmers, youths, housewives, unemployed, community residents – come with your banners and placards and join the disciplined and deliberate protest by the people against all the ills that now affect and beset you.

Organize, mobilize, intervene! Do not be passive this rounds.  Time for action Now!

Have a safe evening – Organize, Mobilize and Intervene.

I am Errol Mc Leod for the OWTU Speaks!