President general of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU) Ancel Roget says the “mother of all demonstrations” will take place on May 23, the day before the People’s Partnership Government celebrates its fourth anniversary in office. “Today we are experiencing the highest levels of corruption and nepotism at all our state boards which have become a law unto themselves with no accountability to the people of T&T.
“On one hand we witness political victimisation with the ruthless firing of persons who are perceived to be opposed to the Government,” he said. Roget was speaking yesterday during a news conference held by the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) at the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) headquarters, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain. The march, organised by the JTUM, is being dubbed: It’s Time To Take A Stand For T&T.
Roget said the country was being run by a “small group of cabalists” which was amassing huge wealth. “When this small group gain through corrupt means they deny us proper roads, modern health care systems, basic school infrastructure, decent jobs and so many other amenities to improve the quality of life and standard of living,” he said. Roget referred to the state of the country as being in “chaos” and said citizens could not wait until the general election in 2015 to agitate.
He added: “This view harbours that we do nothing and just bide time. “The JTUM vehemently disagrees with this because the harsh reality is that by next year the country will be an empty shell and any party going into government will inherit not only an empty Treasury but will find that our future has been mortgaged away into the future.” He added that all trade unions, civil society groups and business groups were invited to join the march.
“We must all take a stand. It is time to end the talk and start the walk. We cannot allow the corruption to continue. We cannot allow the nepotism to continue,” he said.