Govt used OWTU to win election

THE EDITOR: The difference between winning and losing the 2020 general election was a mere 2,000 votes or so, in the right places. In other words, an additional 1,000 votes or so, in each of two constituencies could have given the UNC victory by a margin of 21-20.

I mention this only to highlight how important the OWTU vote was to the PNM winning the elections.

Which brings us to how the Rowley Government played the OWTU/Patriotic like a master fiddler. I remember very clearly having discussions with friends and colleagues about Government's intention to sell the refinery to the OWTU's company for US$700 million, but the latter won't have to pay anything up-front.

It would be a "loan" to be repaid over ten years. So how come we're suddenly hearing that the OWTU's bid has been rejected because they didn't have the US$700 million?

What is most upsetting is the callous way the PNM treated the OWTU and by extension the population, just to win an election. They didn't care that the refinery would fall into further disrepair the longer it took to start it back up. They didn't care that this would make a restart almost impossible.

They didn't care about the damaging effect on thousands who depend (directly and indirectly) on the refinery for their livelihood. All they cared about was winning an election at any cost and getting control of the Treasury.

It is now painfully obvious the depths to which the PNM would go to win. Do you know what the irony is? Their most ardent supporters, those who would have voted for them, are among those suffering the most. But they must keep up the pretence of caring.

Consider this: had Government said what they're saying now before the elections, do you think they would have won the election? Almost certainly, they would have lost by a wide margin with the OWTU membership not voting or voting for the UNC.

This was a cold, calculated move to win by "mamaguying" the OWTU and when victory was achieved, throwing them under the proverbial bus.

But, as my grandmother might have said: As sure as night follows day, a reckoning would soon come. What this nation witnessed was just shameless.

ADRIAN CHARLES

Port of Spain