JTUM, NATUC reveal Labour Day 2023 theme: People power, people matter

THE theme for this year's Labour Day celebrations is: People Power, People Matter. Leader of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ancel Roget said it served as a reminder to both the government and the pubic that it was the latter that had the true power.

Roget revealed this at a press conference in Barataria on Friday morning.

He said Labour Day was not just about marches and speeches but also recognising the sacrifices and contributions of those who came before them.

This year, he said, unions will address major concerns "against the background of a nation in crisis."

He said the crisis was evident in the lack of support of the citizenry.

He said they would "use the opportunity to speak out, to identify the issues and also put forward what we think are solutions that will get us out the crisis."

He said the government did not seem to understand that people in TT matter, and that many people did not realise just how much power they had.

The march will follow its regular route from Avocat Junction to Charlie King Junction in Fyzabad on June 19.

Unions will address crime and violence "at all levels," the closure of Petrotrin, the Paria diving tragedy, unemployment, legislation, among other things.

On the topic of unemployment, Roget slammed the government for giving young people one-month, three-month and six-month contracts as they would not be able to properly plan their future with a temporary position.

On the closure of Petrotrin, Roget said the government was "trying to put another spin on that" by saying it was "the answer to saving TT."

The reality, Roget said, is that many people are now under pressure owing to that closure, and unions will use data and facts to show why the move was wrong.

He urged the government not to challenge him with emotions or party politics, but facts.

Roget added that, during the celebrations, cultural items would be featured between speeches.

Michael Anisette played a clip of Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly speaking at a PNM event. In the clip, she says: "So I want you to not let your heart be troubled. You believe in God? Believe also in us. Believe in the leaders in service and believe in your party."

National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) head Michael Annisette said such statements showed the root of many issues in TT.

"When a society and a political party could go that road with that level of vanity, blasphemousness and disrespect our heavenly universal father, you could understand why there's crime in this country; why 65 per cent of the public service is on contract labour. You could understand why the youths cannot get work so they are resorting to the guns and ammunition. You could understand why everything this government touch goes into rot."

He said there was a misconception that the people who created a set of problems would then solve them.

"Our solution lies within us," he said.

He said unions would continue to start conversations that would ultimately benefit TT.

On the topic of crime, he said TT's education system was "breeding a factory of criminals" as it was not rooted in the country's reality and history.

All issues, he said, are tied to a lack of proper governance in TT.

"How do you have a democratic society when you have a government which says and does whatever it wants. And if you stand up against it, you are attacked."

He said recently, someone told him to be careful with his critique of the government as its members would "come at (him) to destroy (him)."

He called on the media to bring light to those issues.