Sinanan willing to meet with Caridoc workers

Works and Transport minister Rohan Sinanan said he would speak to Caridoc workers if they requested a meeting with him. He said he has no knowledge of a letter being sent to his office.

Furloughed workers from the Caribbean Dockyard and Engineering Services Ltd (Caridoc) delivered a letter to Sinanan at his office on Thursday, asking for the government to work with them to turn the company around.

Speaking to the media at the commissioning of the Valencia to Toco Road upgrade on Friday, Sinanan said he had not seen the letter or heard about the request for a meeting.

“If a letter comes in, obviously as the ministry we will have to respond, but no letters have come to my desk. Only when I see the letter and who it’s from, because I have seen something from the unions, but to my knowledge there is no union representing Caridoc.

“So I’ll have to see what came to us. There is a board at Caridoc, and there’s management at Caridoc, and as Minister I don’t overstep my bounds. Once it is within my purview, I will respond.”

On May 16, 137 workers were furloughed for 90 days, ending on August 31. The SWWTU, which was only recently granted leave to represent Caridoc workers, said the workers are willing to meet with the government to turn the company around.