Roget: Expect many hardships in upcoming budget

OWTU president general Ancel Roget. Photo by Ayanna Kinsale
OWTU president general Ancel Roget. Photo by Ayanna Kinsale

OWTU head Ancel Roget said the upcoming budget will bring new financial burdens on the populace which will be like "a tonne of bricks."

He was speaking to reporters on Wednesday at Aranguez Savannah at the start of the Freedom Day march to Woodford Square, Port of Spain.

A month ago, Roget had dubbed September 1 "Freedom Day," as it was due to be the day after the end of the state of emergency (SoE). But the Government later extended the SoE by three months to late November.

Roget had initially hoped for hundreds of people to march in protest against the Government's handling of the economy, its industrial relations, joblessness and alleged looming privatisation, but covid19 protocols reduced attendance to just the leaders (or their representatives) of each union.

At the start of the march, Roget told marchers the event was to declare freedom against the extension of the State of Emergency (SoE), a restriction he described as anti-worker. However he urged march participants to comply with police instructions.

Union leaders present were Communication Workers Union (CWU) head Clyde Elder, FITUN head Joseph Remy, SWWTU head Michael Annisette and Trinidad and Tobago Registered Nurses Association head Idi Stuart.

Other unions represented were the Amalgamated Workers Union (AWU), All Trinidad General Workers Union, BIGWU, postal workers, contractors and general workers and steelworkers. About 40 people marched, wearing their unions' jerseys.

Annisette rode on a music truck to address participants and onlookers through a microphone during the march.

Many police officers, on foot and in jeeps, escorted the march, clearing the route ahead, while videotaping the event.

Speaking to reporters, Roget alleged the Government had crashed the economy and predicted the privatisation of NP, T&TEC and WASA.

"Increase in food costs, increase in rates for electricity and water, increased taxes on the population – all of those things are going to come like a tonne of bricks in the next budget. That is what they don't want us to stand up against."

He also predicted an increase in the cost of fuel, with alleged dovernment approval.

"You hear the Prime Minister justifying that, as if subsidies – where the ordinary citizen can benefit from that – is a bad thing – but we must feel guilty that the price of gasoline in a gas-producing country is lower than others. And the citizen is benefiting from it: we must feel guilty for that, and must allow them to increase astronomically the price of fuel – gasoline, kerosene, diesel, super gasoline and premium gasoline."

Roget said all these predicted increases in costs would add to the already burdened situation in the country.

"So it is economic and social slavery, that is what we are facing.

"Those are the things we are against and that is why we have taken the initiative, notwithstanding the extension of the SoE (state of emergency) to make this walk this morning."

He described the government as a "runaway horse."

"We are in a dictatorship."

He alleged the Government was not governing in the people's interest.

"They govern in the interests of the elites as against everybody else. All of those measures are going to further enslave TT.

"(But) if there is one voice that will continue to be speaking out, it is the voice of the trade union movement."

Roget promised "other initiatives to come" without giving details, but said they would be within the confines of the law.

"We cannot allow them to continue to do what they are about, which is against the interest of the people, without the voice of the trade union movement standing in defence of the people."

Roget said marchers would comply with police instructions and Ministry of Health protocols against covid19.

While abiding by the decision that only trade union heads should march, Roget lamented the restrictions under the pandemic and SoE.

"This morning we were supposed to be declaring 'Freedom Day,' free from the encumbrances that hamper us as trade unionists in performing our duty, representing not just our members but also representing the interests of the working class, the poor and the ordinary man, the unemployed – everybody, and those without a voice."

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