NATUC: Gov't's priorities are skewed

The National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) says it will be mobilising via social media to vent its dissatisfaction over what it described as the Prime Minister's "disrespect" in saying “public servants are lazy, and they only make noise when they get paid.”

This morning the group held a press conference at the Public Services Association's (PSA’s) head office in Port of Spain, to address over surrounding the detention of PSA leader Watson Duke.

NATUC general secretary Michael Annisette said, “This statement is reckless. Citizens have suffered retrenchment and loss of jobs, but politicians do not care.

"As a leader of the country, you cannot be arrogant, vindictive and petty.”

The Prime Minister, he said, “is the main public servant, and his statement was disrespectful.”

Without directly responding to concerns raised by the opposition leader over possible public-service cuts, Annisette said, “Due to a lack of funding there may be several hundred workers being affected.”

NATUC said government’s priorities are skewed. Annisette raised concerns about employment and citizens' well-being and the priority placed on "unnecessary" construction at this time.

He said “What do you put first? Employment, or building an overpass in Curepe or building roads on lands allegedly owned by a top official?”

The country was being held under "social terrorism," he said.