TT Chamber hits Roget's 'riot' talk

Oilfield Workers Trade Union president Ancel Roget’s call for “this country to riot” in response to new taxes has been condemned by as “reckless” by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

In a statement titled Call for Calm issued on Thursday, the chamber deemed it “wholly unsatisfactory that members of the labour movement should call for citizens to riot in a show of discontent” with the 2018 budget.

The chamber argued that “at a time when our country is grappling with challenging economic conditions, such rhetoric, inciting citizens to mobilise in mass protest can only be described as reckless.”

Roget, leader of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM), issued his “riot” call this past Tuesday after delivering a letter on the budget to the Office of the Prime Minister.

Roget said JTUM was “deeply concerned” about the impact, particularly of higher fuel prices, on the standard of living of the more vulnerable in society, including pensioners, people on fixed incomes and minimum wage earners.

Roget recalled that during a 2016 IMF forum in Port-of-Spain, Finance Minister Colm Imbert had said that having reduced the fuel subsidy once without any riots by the population, he might do so again in the next budget.

“That has become a reality. What has not become a reality, yet, is what is going to become a reality very soon - that the riot that he beckoned and spoke about, it is time for this country to riot,” Roget warned.

Roget said JTUM would visit communities, “mobilising and making the population aware of the deception that was committed on them in this budget and that there is an alternative.”

In its criticism of his remarks, the chamber also cited Roget’s comments from earlier this year in which he said energy companies could take their rigs and go.

“(This) became a major cause for concern, given the then apparent cavalier attitude towards the prospect of driving investment away from TT. Needless to say, any such fallout could only serve to intensify already trying times for all who share the burden - including the more vulnerable among us.” Rather than calling for “disruptive activity,” the chamber believes there needs to be a commitment to meaningful discussions via the National Tripartite Advisory Council to “work through issues of national importance.”

It said this approach must be undertaken with all key stakeholders on board – Government, business and labour.

“Anything less, would be counter-productive to securing a better future for all of us who live and work in TT,” the chamber stated.