PSA: Young can't deny cabinet report on WASA

PRESIDENT of the Public Services Association (PSA) Felisha Thomas has called out Prime Minister Stuart Young, challenging him to deny the existence of a cabinet subcommittee report which she says speaks to the dissolution of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).

She dismissed Young’s claim that her revelations about the restructuring of the authority and proposed dismissal of workers were false allegations.

Instead, she accused him of being less than honest as she read from what she said was a cabinet sub-committee report in which the restructuring of the Water and Sewage Authority (WASA) and the separation of workers was spelled out.

Addressing a UNC campaign meeting at St John's Ambulance Hall, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain on April 23, Thomas dismantled Young’s criticism and his denial that his government had any intention to privatise WASA or T&TEC.

As she mounted the platform after another labour leader, president general of the Oilfield Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget, she reminded WASA workers that the cabinet subcommittee report clearly stated that the only solution to the issues plaguing that authority was the incremental dissolution of WASA.

“That report did not put forward any other options. Just one. Let me remind WASA workers that report means that every single worker would be terminated, dismissed, fired, sent home.

“I made no false allegations. I spoke facts. That cabinet subcommittee report is not mine. It is yours, Stuart, your government’s, your party. Claim it, own it.”

She also called on him to clarify whether, in his haste to wash his hands from the plans like Pontius Pilate, he was labelling his colleague and former minister of public utilities Marvin Gonzales a liar.

“When Marvin said to TT that WASA was overstaffed, was he misleading the nation, was he spreading propaganda when he said 426 managers would be going home. Was he (Gonzales) lying. Is that what you saying Stuarty?

“Is Stuart Young confirming for WASA workers, for the population that his government are liars. Is you sign the damn report Stuart. Your signature is on it. But Stuart saying his government has no intention of sending home WASA workers. You hear lie. That is lie.”

Thomas itemised some key points from the report which stated WASA was overstaffed by 2,500. That the authority is likely to exist for a while, transferring the full operations to a Water Management Company.

“Page 115 says, you Stuart Young, recommended a wastewater entity managed by the new wastewater management company with private sector participation.”

She called on him to tell WASA workers in the wastewater department what would be their fate, because in the new management structure, there was no wastewater department.

She called on supporters not believe Young and his government, as it was under their watch in 2018 they promised they were not going to shut down Petrotrin, but every worker was sent home.

“Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. We don’t want your assurances. You could keep it. This is the same man who only two weeks ago, realised food prices gone sky high.”

She said Young was banking on workers forgetting that for the past ten years, his government failed to appoint workers and fill vacancies. That it is the same PNM that caused workers to be turned away from financial institutions because their jobs were not safe.

This is the same PNM that causing workers to be working for 2013 salaries in 2025, the same PNM that refuse to pay NIB workers their 2014-16 increases, the same PNM that failed to pay retirees their pensions based on their final salaries.

“So, what would labour do?” she asked as she led them in a collective chorus to “reject them. Vote them out, vote them out.”