Webster-Roy condemns ‘morning wuk’ mentality

Tobago East MP Ayanna Webster-Roy has condemned the “morning wuk” mentality of some of her constituents, insisting there was a urgent need to become more productive.

Addressing a PNM meeting at the Belle Garden Multi-Purpose Facility on Wednesday night, Webster-Roy took such people to task, saying there must a transformation of the mind if the constituency was to progress.

“Tobago East people, we have to change our mindset,” she declared in response to recent statements by historian Dr Rita Pemberton that Tobago’s thrust toward greater autonomy would be hampered by poor work ethic and slow productivity.

A minister of state in the Office of the Prime Minister, Webster-Roy urged the gathering to reverse the trend.

“Recently, I saw in the papers where Rita Pemberton was talking about the Tobago culture and our work ethic and I want to charge us in Tobago East, this evening. Let us be the vanguards for change, let the change begin with us. When we talk about productivity, we must talk about people from Roxborough and L’Anse Fourmi and Speyside and Belle Garden.

“When we talk about people coming to work on time, we will be talking about people from Mt St George, Goodwood and Delaford. When we are talking about people who are productive, let us talk about our people.”

Webster-Roy called for an end to the “morning wuk” mentality in the constituency.

“Let us end the day of early morning wuk. As an MP, it hurts me every time a young, hard-back, able-bodied man comes to my office and asks for an early morning wok when I know he has the ability to do something different.

“We could do better than that, Tobago East.”

Webster-Roy told constituents she was willing to serve them for another five years.

“But, I am only willing to serve if you are going to walk with me and talk the same talk that I am talking.”

Webster-Roy said she believed in the potential of the constituency “but we have to believe it.

Pemberton had criticised Tobago’s poor work ethic last week in an address at the third instalment of a year-long lecture series, hosted by the Tobago Writers’ Guild and Tobago Library Services.