2006

2006-01-27

The pendulum has shifted again and the geo-political axis is developing a new momentum. When one may have been thinking that matters were settled and fait accomplish presented even in a way unbalanced and that unbridled capitalism had overwhelmed the world the Southern Cone in our hemisphere and the Middle East have stuck thorns in many a backside of those pompous asses which sit on the reasonable ambitions and desires of the peoples of the world. Matters are unsettled and people around the world are becoming more restless and angry. They continue to see their God-Bestowed resources being exploited to the benefit of the developed and rich countries of the north.

The peoples of the Venezuelan, Brazilian, Chilean, Argentinean and Bolivian backyards of South America have risen from the ashes of the left and are expressing their disgust for the Bush politics that have pushed the world to the brink of major crises. As if these were not sufficiently encouraging, the stroke which unfortunately struck down Ariel Sharon seems to have stoked the embers of old fires which are sure to be new conflagrations with the Mamas Victory in the Middle East.

Many wishes remain unsettled and the pendulum will no doubt develop a new momentum.

Here too, the issues affecting ordinary people remain unsettled. The politicians’ footworks no longer befuddle anybody. Their ability to engineer sellouts – whether on Safety and Health issues or the price of bread and housing – has become their major claim to fame characteristic. It will also to be their greatest downfall.

If any small community were to come together and collectively shed a tear over their environmental degradation they are likely to be flooded out because of poor drainage and unplanned infrastructural arrangements.

And if you protest the unsafe and inhumane road conditions and call for Government’s intervention as has been done by La Brea and Point Fortin residents the police is likely to intervene and instructed to discharge tear gas canisters against a near helpless people.

It is evil, it is ridiculous, it is barbaric. But we will see what we will see.

2006-01-27

Many wishes remain unsettled and the pendulum will no doubt develop a new momentum.

It is evil, it is ridiculous, it is barbaric. But we will see what we will see.

2007-01-20

Politics and the mobilization of workers and poor people require skills and a burning determination that are not distracted by self acclaimed shallow victories and disguised handouts.

Our history in the English speaking Caribbean is replete with incidences of the workers and people coming to the cusp of significant conjunctions only to have their struggles cold watered by the hosty compromises that some leaders are wont to make.

We in the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union are encouraged by the tenacity of Evo Morales Arima who would on Sunday coming, be inaugurated as President of Bolivia.

This commentator had the distinct privilege of meeting and working with Evo Morales in the sphere of international trade union solidarity on a few occasions when I would have traveled to Brazil, Chile and Argentina to do the Latin American and Caribbean Regional work as an executive member of the International Federation of Chemical Energy Mines and General Workers Unions, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium and representing Twenty-Seven (27) Million workers worldwide.

Morales always talked, with an intense determination for change – he always talked about Bolivia’s vast reserves of natural gas and other hydro carbon resources and the dicothomous situation in which more than 65 percent of the Bolivian people existing in the most abject poverty.

Last May 2005 I met with Morales and some of his people when we attended and International Conference hosted by Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolutionary leadership. I was assured then of significant advances that the Bolivian workers and the people would make in their Social Movement campaign right up to General Elections scheduled for December 18^th, 2005. We also talked about Trinidad and Tobago’s development model and how the population was benefiting from our approach to exploiting our hydrocarbon resources and monitising our natural gas.

Last Monday, I was very pleasantly surprised on my receipt of an invitation by Comrade Morales to attend his inauguration in La Paz, Bolivia on Sunday 22^nd. Even his invitation to me, after his massive victory at the polls last December 18^th , even what seems to me to be an invitation authored by Morales himself the humility of the man is characterized .

I regret my inability to attend. I have already communicated my regret in an important message of congratulations, best wishes and solidarity to President – elect Senor Morales Aima.

I admonished him to not compromise the best interests of Bolivia and the Safety, Health, Peace and Prosperity of its peoples.

Thank God its Friday comrade citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. The curtain comes down after another chapter of great theatre.

Have a Peaceful Weekend – Hand up your illegal arms – leave your knives and cutlasses at home.

Save the Youth – Protect the Children.

2006-01-18

Good Evening and Welcome to OWTU Speaks!

The Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Comrade Kenny Anthony, speaks with much arrogance but not much sense and even less respect for the interest of Trinidad and Tobago. What is even more disappointing is that the likes of Dr. Kenny Anthony would hardly raise their voices for the colonial office which purveyed the antecedence to St. Lucia’s economic problems and those of other poor Caribbean countries in the first place.

Dr. Anthony challenged so-called oil-rich Trinidad and Tobago to help its Caribbean neighbours deal with skyrocketing fuel prices rather than dissuade them from taking up Venezuela’s Petrocaribe offer of cheaper oil.”

A translation of Dr. Anthony’s demand, it seems to me, is that Trinidad and Tobago should fully satisfy St. Lucia’s fuel needs – nearly free of cost without regard to Trinidad and Tobago interests. It will be interesting to find out what was Anthony’s argument and that of his other twelve Caribbean colleagues – for amendments to the proposals which sought to establish PetroCaribe.

Not that it is suggested here that Venezuela should not promote its own interests even as it held out what appeared to be concessions – in the short to medium term – in consideration of the plight of non-oil poor Caribbean island economies. We have called most of our present difficulties as a Caribbean region, on ourselves.

Serious politicians and students of history may remember that it was way back in 1926 for the first time, that earlier regionalists – coming from the Trade Union Movement proposed – what they called at that time – West Indian Nationhood, the equivalent of Federation with its ownk, albeit small, area of influence and an economy built on Trinidad’s oil, Jamaica’s bauxite and Guyana’s land mass as three essential pillar ingredients on which we would develop our West Indian Nationhood and society.

Those in Colonial authority joined by those who claimed the possession of the intellectual and leadership capacity locally, scorned the call by our earlier nationalistic and wiser leaders of the time. There were always those who yielded to the small carrots offered by those whose interests distracted us from the broader picture of our own particular and important interests.

Dr. Anthony is distracted, unaligned and confused. He is however not alone. He is in company with some twelve others who run with the foxes and hunts with the hounds.

Is there a similarity here with the doubtful compromise to which some leaders have arrived on the matter of Occupational Safety and Health?

The issue is certainly not closed for those of us workers who do very real work in important industrial economic activity – Our Lives Are At Stake!

2006-01-16

The death of Anthony Manning, whatever the contributory circumstances, is blood on the hands of those in authority who continue to frustrate the decision of the Parliament to institute standards which contribute to the safety and health of persons at work.

Accidents do not just happen – accidents are caused! Something – someone failed and sole breadwinner, Anthony Manning and those for whom he was providing are the victims of somebody negligence and recalcitrance on the part of the Minister of Labour and the Cabinet. That the Government is willing and able to deal with any eventualities and overcome all its obstacles, offers no balm to the pain being suffered by the grieving family, relatives and co-workers of deceased Anthony Manning.

February 13, 2006

OWTU GENERAL COUNCIL’S

STATEMENT ON THE AMENDMENTS TO THE

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT

The General Council of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union wishes to state clearly our position on the amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH) Act (Act 1 of 2004). Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have already debated these amendments. Before detailing our disagreement with these amendments we wish to make two points abundantly clear.

Firstly, we have always maintained a principled policy position that the OSH Act, having been debated and passed by both Houses of Parliament t and assented to by the President on January 30^th 2004, should be implemented immediately without amendments. It is absolutely wrong for a Government to refuse for two years to implement a law debated and passed by the Parliament.

No Government should frustrate the will of the sovereign Parliament on any piece of legislation – and especially on this critical OSH legislation since this has been in the making for over three decades. We maintain that the OSH Act needed to be implemented and then reviewed after an appropriate period of its operation in order to correct any flaws that may have emerged in practice.

Secondly, we were neither privy nor party to any agreement to amend the OSH Act. In prior discussions between ourselves and representatives of NATUC, we insisted and NATUC agreed that the entire trade union movement’s position should be one of “immediate implementation of the OSH Act, with absolutely no amendments to its provisions”.

In fact, it was at the protest march and rally hosted by the Steel Workers’ Union of Trinidad and Tobago at Gilbert Park Couva, Friday 13^th January 2006, O.W.T.U.’S President General, President of PSA, President of SWUTT, President of TTUTA, Chairman of NATUC’s OSH committee Michael Anisette, General Secretary of NATUC Vincent Cabrera and other members of NATUC, publicly committed to ensuring that the OSH Act (Act No 1 of 2004) is immediately proclaimed without any amendments.

2006-01-13

Good Evening and Welcome to OWTU Speaks!

The message is becoming clearer and clearer! The rains yesterday and today failed to dampen the determination of the workers and their Unions that the Occupational Safety and Health Act must be implemented now! And without amendments.

Yesterday, some five hundred or so front line officers and shop stewards of the OWTU, SWWTU and SWUTT carried the message to the Manning Cabinet that the determination and decision of the Parliament and the Assent of the President must be respected and obeyed. A four member delegation from the OWTU communicated to acting Prime Minister Dr. Lenny Saith very clearly, unambiguously clearly, superlatively clearly that the workers and their Unions will not accept, will not negotiate any social settlement that is less than the implementation of an Occupational Safety and Health Act in form and content and was passed by both Houses of Parliament and assented to by His Excellency the President. Dr. Saith seemed to have understood our position and agreed to take our sentiments to Prime Minister Manning on the latter’s return from Cuba.

Today, this morning – near five hundred workers marched behind a steel workers banner from Isaac Junction in Couva to Gilbert Park in Point Lisas. The broad trade union representation that was present was perhaps more significant than the rank and file numbers in attendance. There were the President and top executive leadership of the PSA – the Public Services Association, the President and executive officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association, the President General of the Banking, Insurance and General Workers’ Union, the President General and representatives of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers’ Trade Union, representatives of the Transport and Industrial Workers’ Union, representatives of the National Union of Government and Federated Workers’ Union, top leadership of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union and of course the host Union of today’s event – the Steel Workers’ Union of Trinidad and Tobago.

The rally at Gilbert Park received the echo of the one voice of all the leaders who spoke- Implement the OSH Act Now and we shall deal with all amendments that may become necessary later! The rally resolved that there should be no negotiation by anyone on any of the contents of the OSH Act as was passed by the Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President.

The rally resolved that national protest action by all workers and all Unions across all philosophical and other divides be planned and executed on a day or days to be fixed before Carnival 2006.

The rally and all Unions present this morning, expressed subscription to the theme crafted by Steel Workers’ Union – UNITE for the Cause – Implement OSHA Now! The OWTU is committed and has vowed to be in the face of the Political Directorate every week until those in authority clear the rocks from their heads! Put oil in your lamps! The fight is now about to begin we hope that sound political sense will prevail.

I am Errol Mc Leod for OWTU Speaks! Have a peaceful and enjoyable weekend.

2006-01-11

Good Evening and Welcome to OWTU Speaks!

I think that if we are not careful, we may indeed find ourselves just a little push from stepping down the precipitous slide to the most barbarous and decadent behaviours and practices to which an unrighteous people can be condemned. And I make no reference now to allegations of bribery, corruption, malfeasance and misconduct in public office by politicians on every side of the political fence.

I am not sure either that reference is being expressly made to the fact that the brand new year , 2006, on only its 11^th day, has already recorded 16 killings – not of bird flu chickens but of fellow flesh and blood human beings.

Nor am I necessarily referring to the artlessness bankruptcy and lack of intelligence of those on the radio who deafen listeners with an unashamed misuse and abuse of the Fax and the utility pole.

But perhaps , I am searching for the reason earlier circumstances the antecedence to all of these afflictions (as it were). Or, what is it? A conundrum – a riddle? How have we come to such callousness that we fail – refuse to bring to the attention of the competent authorities a mystery disease ravaging our chicken farms contracted by suppliers to grow and cultivate poultry for the national diet?

Imagine one response suggesting that the farmer did not raise an alarm because of fear of losing his contract – another case of money or your life! Imagine that we are without guarantee as to the wholesomeness of what we are served to eat.

And the gross insensitivity is so carelessly and contemptuously displayed that no sooner had we been shown dozens of dead, diseased land dying chickens, there appeard on the television screen an advertisement of the fried, finger licking stuff with which many slowly poison their children everyday.

Not a word yet on the nature of the disease that killed two thousand chickens in three weeks but some unconscionable money twisted hair brained burro encourages an unsuspecting population to consume chicken which we were not assured had been free of the wasting disease known as consumption. Yuh tink it easy? Anything for a few dollars more. No scruples insensitivity, callousness is the new order and ‘devil take the hindmost’ – the game. Now is there any consolation that the disease is aspergillus’s and not the bird flu? Two thousand deaths in a farm population of seven thousand disasterous and alarming enough!

And you know there are laws which are supposed to give legal support to important standards in the Act governing the Poultry Industry. But business is not well known to implement modern standards if such implementation is deemed to be expensive and to reduce profits. Can we imagine what would be the plight of ordinary people if there were no laws, no proclamation of decent legislation anywhere?

And do we see and understand why the Occupational Safety and Health Act, although assented to by the President is being refused promulgation by Minister of Labour and perhaps inadvertently by Prime Minister and the Government. Because business of the most exploitative kind sees expenditure on Safety and Health as benefiting people only, it is opposed to the implementation of modern safety and Health Standards and the enshrined rights of workers to the preservation of life, limb and security.

We will have the Prime Minister know that we differ. Our Lives Are At Stake and the OSH Act must be implemented now as was adopted by Parliament and assented to by the President. Tomorrow we carry that message to Whitehall and all non essential and

off-duty worker representatives, officers and shop stewards are asked to attend at 9:30 and assert that Our Lives Are At Stake.

We extend solidarity with the Steel Workers’ Union and the workers of Mittal Steel in their action to defend lives and limbs. We condemn the injunctive action by Mittal to force employees to work in unsafe and life threatening conditions.

Stand up for Justice! Stand up for Peace! Stand up in your own defense! Work Safely. Remember ‘Accidents do not just happen – they are caused’ Stop the corporate manslaughter! Implement the OSH Act Now!

2006-01-09

Good Evening and Welcome to ‘OWTU SPEAKS’.

Today we score one for the determined efforts of the police investigators and the independence of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. To proceed against senior members of the Cabinet must have invoked the oath taken by those responsible – “to uphold the constitution and the law” – and it must have also emboldened them to resist any other authority which might seek to fetter their resolve. The Police and the DPP have scored high in our today’s poll.

The older folks used to admonish that ‘if you could not say anything good about someone, you should not say bad.’ We were particularly without comment on the proceedings against Franklin Khan and his resignation from his Cabinet post and this, after knowing him for many years in the Energy Sector at Trinidad – Tesoro and then Trintopec now Petrotrin.

Yesterday’s news however, of the impending arrest of Eric Williams and corruption proceedings against him, were received with awkwardness and disappointment by many of us. Eric Williams not only cuts a truly honourable character role with us – he has for a long time been recognized as being one of the few humblest members in the Patrick Manning Cabinet – and one with whom conversation was easy and respectful. We wish him the best even as we insist that the law and the principles of good governance be not compromised. And an important lesson to be learned here – ‘is that a safe distance away from those contractors on the hustle in the Energy Sector ought to be kept at all times’ if one is to be careful with one’s political health and decent public image.

And talking about safety and health last Saturday, a number of our key leaders and activists met in special session to review OWTU’s Campaign strategies for the implementation of the OSH Act now!

Our meeting analysed too, the so far, unofficial and public responses of other stakeholders’ interests in the matter of modern safety and health standards at work and the legal and regulatory framework to enforce them. We identified that it was the more insignificant among the business lobby that so influenced the Minister of Labour that 24 months and 22 deaths after the legislation was passed and assented to, the will of the sovereign Parliament continues to be treated with disrespect and contempt.

Our meeting resolved to intensity the workers’ cry that: ‘Our Lives Are At Stake – Implement the OSH Act Now! And issued a call for Joint Action to force the Government’s hand.

Our statement, released to the media this morning said: ‘The OWTU continues to demand the implementation of Act#1 of 2004, the OSH Act, as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate and assented to by the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago since January 30^th 2004. In furtherance of its demand, the OWTU will continue to effect protest action of one kind or another and calls on other stakeholder organizations to meet, dialogue and agree to effecting JOINT ACTION to protect the lives and limbs of workers and thereby also promote the viability of industry and business.’

Our Statement continued – ‘The OWTU takes its next action to Whitehall on Thursday coming and on Friday we will join the protest activity being organized for Couva by the Steel Workers’ Union.’ Today we reiterate that our Lives Are At Stake!

We call on the Government to Implement the OSH Act Now and any necessary amendments could be effected later. Let there be industrial peace and higher levels of productivity. The Labour Minister must do his piece by respecting the will of the Parliament and the reasonable cries and demands of the Workers’ and their Unions for Industrial democracy, and modern health and safety standards at work

Have a good evening

I am Errol Mc Leod for OWTU Speaks.

2006-01-06

Good evening Comrade Citizens and Well Wishers and Welcome to the OWTU Speaks!

It is the information for all who wish to know that the House of Representatives resumes its sittings on Friday January 20, following its Christmas and New Year holidays, and that the agenda does not include Senator Montano’s amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 2004. Certainly no at this time.

It seems impossible even, that Cabinet would have yet considered, Mr. Montano’s voluminous 20 pages of recommendations before sending same to its Legislative Review Committee and other parts of the law making process and then reverting back to the Cabinet which then forwards its Executive Measures to the Parliament for sanction – a process that can take forever,depending on whose interest is being served.

The interests which have influenced the Minister of Labour to buck the unanimous decision of the lower and upper houses of Parliament and the President’s assent to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, are not congruent with sensible longer term business development objectives and viable industry growth and expansion. Clearly, this Minister’s myopic view and arrogant stance on the matter of safety at work and the tight-fistedness of the business interests that he represents, would ensure the continuing absence of strong and effective Safety and Health legislation for a long time to come. The corporate manslaughter will continue and it is assured, we know, that worker enthusiasm and productivity will recede.

At this time we wish only to repeat the respectful, reasonable and unassailable position enunciated by the OWTU since our Conference considerations at the end of July last year:- We said ‘Workers and industry have been waiting for and looking to the enactment and implementation of modern safety and health and environmental laws and regulations for over the past thirty (30) years. Too many have died and many more injured and maimed. Our Live Are At Stake! Our law makers in the House of Representatives and the Senate have spoken and decided. His Excellency, the President has assented to Act # 1 of 2004. Stakeholders, among whom the OWTU claims a place of prominence agreed that the legislation, as a first real attempt 56 years after the factories Ordinance of 1948, was not perfect. This was consummately recognized by all the Parliamentarians including Danny Montano, as they debated the Bill in December 2003.

We iterated that the Act be promulgated, proclaimed, implemented – which ever the appropriate term to mean ‘take effect’ and that our experience and learnings will inform later, the revision and amendments we may find necessary. And the ‘we’ here includes workers, industry, business and government.

The OWTU insisted and we continue to hold the line that the decision of the Parliament is sacrosanct and must be observed by all unless it is successfully challenged constitutionally, in a court of law. The Minister of Labour must accept the decision of our Parliament.

We heard the Prime Minister recently extolling the maturity of our politicians as they came together to effect the No-Bail Law for Kidnappers for Ransom. Mr. Manning’s comments were instructive and indeed raised his profile as a serious subscriber to the fairer tenets of democratic practices.

Mr. Manning said that the legislation which his side and the Opposition collaborated to pass was not perfect could not be perfect and was the product of dialogue and compromise. He said that as the measures were put into effect they will be observed and evaluated and that learnings and experience will inform any amendments that may become necessary. We agree with the Prime Minister on this one land salute his maturity. And we therefore ask – ‘ Does Danny Montano not belong to Mr. Manning’s Cabinet Does he not subscribe to the same principles? Or is OSHA too expensive for the interests he represents? Who is his leader anyway?

We took a little respite from the OSHA campaign over the holiday season like most people would have done. That season ends today and we are back on track. We will not wait for any June 19^th Labour Day announcement by political opportunists serving anti – worker business interests.

We will not be fooled by pre-election promises again by anybody. We reiterate today Friday 6^th January 2006:- “Implement the OSH Act Now and deal with amendments later. Our Lives Are At Stake!

We launched our OSHA campaign last November 16^th with demonstratins at Petrotrin and Trinidad Cement Limited. Five Thousand (5,000) marched the streets of San Fernando on last December 2^nd. Our next activity is on next week Thursday January 12^th, 2006. We will also join the street demonstration to which we are invited by the Steel Workers’ Union in Couva on Friday 13^th .

And if all of those fail to move the Minister

2006-01-04

Very best wishes for a Productive, Peaceful and Poverty-reduced New Year are extended to all in our national community - Welcome to the OWTU Speaks.

So, to what purpose will the Israeli manufactured attack helicopters be put? Or is this question coming too soon before the fete is over? Which one of the fetes anyway? Don’t we know?

Are we not accustomed yet – that except for those who carry the country on their backs literally those who create the national wealth those who keep the wheels of industry turning those who produce our vast natural resources, and process them and bring them to market monetizing them, and thereby providing the tremendous returns with which those in political authority know not what to do other than engaging in some excesses here, malfeasance there, squadermania and quiet but brazen corruption over so except for those whose tireless efforts are employed in productive enterprises – oil, gas, electricity, petrochemicals, manufacturing which contribute to real growth GDP – except for these folks, the fete runs from December 15 to Ash Wednesday extending sometimes to Ash Saturday for cool off and reflections in Concert.

All the experts therefore, and pseudo specialists who yap their fat traps about declining productivity and reduced GDP are talking clap trap – the workers who have always worked continue to work to sustain themselves and everybody else.

But back to the question: ‘What do we want with attack helicopters?’ They must be military equipment with weapons for war? Are they not? Against whom are they likely to be used? With which foreign enemies or insurgents are we engaged in conflict? Or, might it be that to qualify for DCS one must own and learn to use big country armaments?

We would hate to think that the Monos Island discovery or the Big dustbin ticker with the destructive child’s brain or the kidnapper for coke or money ransom or the barons’ blood thirsty and trigger happy foot soldiers on the hill and in the plains or all of them together, effected any decision to acquire Israeli attack helicopters costing US$60 million each. Two such machines of war will cost TT$756 million Trinidad and Tobago dollars – enough to build another world class stadium such as is being constructed in Torouba or, to recruit and train and deploy a number of honest, law abiding, serious and committed police officers to fill the necessary gaps caused by short staffing or, to engage our 15 – 19

year old youngsters in 3 – 5 year industrial apprenticeship programmes, or, to reorient CEPEP to include modern agriculture, food production and technology. There must be much more that we can beneficially do with $756 than the purchase of Israeli attack helicopters which we will not trust many of our inept and suspect police officers to use judiciously and which our military could not lawfully use against nationals who are not at war with the state.

So what can we do differently in 2006 to prevent a reoccurrence of the horrendous crime situation experienced in 2005? Empower the clean cops to demobilize and cashier the rogue cops, demolish the dens and structures that govern the blocks and corral the dons, the chiefs and the barons into protective public custody. And, of course there will be resistance but Israeli attack helicopters are hardly necessary – our decent officers who are serious about their commission to Protect and Serve possess all that is required and necessary except perhaps political acquiescence.

And when football is also demonopolised and every important office holder and rule maker and authority is subjected to the same laws and accountability systems – then we may see a difference emerging.

If you love Trinidad and Tobago toot your horn or put up your hand.

I am Errol Mc Leod for the OWTU Speaks!