Blame Rowley for collapse of NTAC, says MSJ leader

BLAME for the resignation of the three trade union federations from the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) is being placed squarely at the feet of the Prime Minister for ignoring advice.

“It was a creature of his own making,” political leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah said, saying the PM’s failure to heed the advice of several committees established under his leadership had caused them all to fail.

He identified the collapse of the Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB)chaired by Dr Terrence Farrell, the Private Sector Implementation Project Committee headed by businessman Christian Moutett and the Roadmap for Recovery Plan.

He said the Anthony Watkins-chaired Community Recovery Committee established last July to evaluate and design a plan for communities in need is headed in the same direction.

At a news conference held by the MSJ at Lord Street, San Fernando on Sunday, Abdulah said Dr Rowley also ignored the advice given by EDAB, to which he belonged, on how NTAC ought to have functioned.

He said Rowley and his Cabinet ministers should not be surprised by the withdrawal of the unions and collapse of the council. He viewed Planning and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis’s appeal for the federations to return to the table as simply “mamaguy,” as this was serving no purpose.

“Government has already said what it wants to do with WASA and other state enterprises. They already have a report. So what is the point going back when you have already decided what you are going to do?”

He said from 2016 to the present, when NTAC was established, if the PM had taken the advice of EDAB, there would have been economic activity, sustainable development, projects related to diversification and a shared burden of adjustment.

“What we need in this country are policies for the many, not for the few,” Abdulah said, as he pointed out that the objective of the NTAC was to be a mechanism to bring business, labour and government together to discuss how the country would deal with economic problems and come up with consensus on the way forward.

“This collapse of the NTAC is another example of the total failure of the leadership of Dr Rowley as Prime Minister and by extension of his PNM Cabinet to foster and arrive at consensus in TT with respect to key issues and problems this country is experiencing and therefore, failure to arrive at consensus on the way forward.”

General secretary of the National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) Michael Annisette said labour was disrespected by government and, after a long and insightful debate, concluded its role in NTAC was of no purpose.

President of the FITUN Ancel Roget said when the unions agreed to participate they did so in good faith, but later realised the plan was to silence them and get rid of the unions.