Fabien stands up for Petrotrin, Caroni workers

After spending 20 hours on the Brian Lara Promenade in Port of Spain, presenter and entertainer, Errol Fabien believes he has made a difference in the lives of several of the people with which he interacted.

From Friday at 4 pm to noon yesterday, Fabien spent hours chatting with passers-by and friends at the base of the statue of Captain Arthur Andrew Cipriani on the Cipriani roundabout.

He said there was a positive response to his presence with about 50 people stopping to talk with him on a number of topics including politics, the history of PoS, tourism, the pressure workers were under, his campaign to get elected into Parliament, his belief that there should be at least five independent MPs in the next general election, Buju Banton’s homecoming and more.

However, the reason he spent his time at the statue was to take a stand for Petrotrin and Caroni workers who lost their jobs through a one-man demonstration. “The workers in these State entities are being made out to be the reason why they are closing and that is not the truth. It is far from the truth. It is mismanagement that is causing this. That is why I came to stand by this fellow here who was a serious union man and a fighter for workers.”

Fabien said the workers were victims who could not now pay their mortgage, school fees, bank loans, put gas in their vehicles, buy gifts for Christmas, and who could no longer afford to hire others to clean the yard or do other small jobs around their homes.

“A lot of people beside these workers are being affected by this. I can’t see advantage. I is (sic) want to stand up. I can’t fight but I have my mouth and my conviction so I’m doing what I can do.”

He also urged others to take a stand in any little way they could to “change the status quo in the country.” He believed some people who visited him on the Promenade and interacted with him online listened to him and would do what they could to improve the way the country was run.