MSJ hopes to 'create a balance' in Parliament

The Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) announced its campaign slogan, Create a Balance, as well as a catchy upbeat song, Balancing the Scale, by 1994 Road March winner Preacher, as the party gears up for the general election next month.

At a press conference at MSJ’s head office in San Fernando on Sunday, leader David Abdulah shared some of the party’s plans including the reopening of the defunct Point-a-Pierre refinery which the Government closed in 2018.

Saying there should not be any more delays, he called on the Government to immediately sign the legal documents to allow the transfer ownership from Petrotrin to Patriotic Energies and Technologies Company.

"It is clear the only way forward is for Patriotic to get control and ownership. It will take hundreds of millions of US dollars to get the refinery into a state of readiness," Abdulah said.

He recalled thousands of workers lost their jobs owing to the closure, and businesses throughout the south were negatively affected. He said from "day one", MSJ has been against the closure. Abdulah believes that once the refinery is up and running, jobs will be created, and the economy will be revived.

The Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) won the bidding to acquire the refinery. OWTU is the principal shareholder of Patriotic.

Abdulah is contesting the Pointe-a-Pierre seat. The party has three other potential candidates, Radhaka Gualbance for Fyzabad, Renee St Rose for Diego Martin Central and Ernesto Kesar for Point Fortin.

The party is considering contesting other seats but is yet to make a final decision, Abdulah said.

"From 20 June to now, we have walked the constituencies almost every day. People are fed-up with two main parties."

To the non-voters, he urged them to come out and vote for the MSJ which he referred to as a watchdog of their interests.

Once elected, MSJ promises to ensure local government and constitutional reforms, party financial legislation and several others.

Chairman Gregory Fernandez said, "If we win, we can create a balance in the Parliament, so legislations are in favour of most citizens. We are entering with the hope to make the difference."