Roget: Rowley may not enjoy 'blood money' pension

JOINT Trade Union Movement president Ancel Roget predicts former prime minister Dr Keith Rowley may not be able to peacefully enjoy his increased pension in retirement because it came at the expense of the working class.

Speaking at May Day celebrations outside the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union's (OWTU's) Royal Road office in San Fernando, Roget said the previous PNM government adopted a "trickle-down" economic model of governance which focused on letting the rich get richer in the hopes that it would also eventually benefit the lower socioeconomic classes.

"That policy position has failed in the United Kingdom with Margaret Thatcher when she fired all the coalmine workers (and) in the USA when (president Ronald) Reagan, when he fired all the airline pilots, all because they stood in the way of letting the rich get richer and the poor will somehow benefit. That's what they practised here."

He said the trade union movement in Trinidad and Tobago also stood in the way of this policy position of the previous administration leading to it being attacked.

"So many thousands of workers, not just in OWTU, not just in Petrotrin, across the board, collective agreements, well-paying jobs were under severe attack as though demonising it, as though it seems that those benefits that we fought for, like it's a crime to work for good pay that is union-negotiated. Those things were ferociously attacked, and so on."

Despite this, he urged Rowley to "go in peace" in retirement and "enjoy" the increased pension he approved before resigning as prime minister while workers were disadvantaged under his policies.

"You take everything for yourself, let we see how happy you'd be in spending that money. Blood money is difficult money to enjoy. And you know why I say blood money? Tears money, the tears of the workers, many families today cannot put food on the table because of that particular policy position. Many families today cannot pay mortgages, and so on. Many families lose their houses as a result of that and cannot pay their bank loans, and so on because somebody decides that they must put them on the breadline."

The Rowley-led cabinet accepted the 120th report from the Salaries Review Commission, which allowed for a significant increase in salaries for the President, Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, among other high-level public servants. The Prime Minister's salary went from $59,680 to $87,847.

Roget described the present time as being "workers' time now."

The OWTU joined the coalition of interests with the UNC to contest the April 28 general election. Two of its members, Clyde Elder and Ernesto Kesar successfully contested the La Brea and Point Fortin seats. The coalition secured a landslide victory, taking 26 of the 41 seats leaving PNM with 13. The TPP won the two Tobago constituencies where the UNC did not field any candidates.

Roget urged members to stay unified and not break ranks.

"When you break the ranks, your members would suffer. Therefore, let us keep the unity."
Roget did not comment on the ten per cent wage negotiation promise made on the UNC campaign stage when asked by reporters.

Scheduled for 9 am, the May Day parade was delayed until almost 11 am. Despite a heavy police presence at the event, Roget told members the application for the parade was sent to the police commissioner over a month ago but had not yet been approved.

"The TTPS, for whatever reason, up to yesterday, was still bungling with the approval that is needed for a march of this nature. I want to appeal to the officer in charge here to get in contact with your seniors and let good sense prevail.

"At no time we have had no war with the police. Indeed, we are close to police and at this point in time, to still be wondering what is taking them so long at the commissioner's office? That is a problem."

DCP Curt Simon told Newsday he was not aware of the issue but he would check on it.

Kesar and Elder were both given a hero's welcome at the celebration on May 1 as the crowds cheered them on. At the start of the parade, both men joined Roget at the front of the crowd. With fists in the air, they all chanted, "power to the workers."

Newsday was unable to speak with the new MPs before the parade began.