Working class protesters have backed down and have aborted a “social justice” march in Port-of-Spain during the Fifth Summit of the Americas. But instead of marching, the trade union groups and workers will instead gather at the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies for a mass rally in on Saturday. The rally will take place at UWI’s Sports and Physical Education Centre, from 3 pm on Saturday. Speaking during a news conference at the venue yesterday, Fitun President David Abdulah said acting Police Commissioner James Philbert denied permission for the peaceful march at Woodford Square, Port-of-Spain on Saturday.

“You must remember that in January this year at a meeting with the commissioner, we indicated our decision to have a peaceful march. We are about social justice and change, transforming this unjust world. We have a right to do so and a right to express our desire to change the world,” Abdulah said. Saying that Fitun did not want to have any confrontation with the security detail, Abdulah said T&T would look bad in the eyes of the world because of the suppression of workers rights. Abdulah said Philbert refused to grant permission because he had information that there were people who wanted to infiltrate the security for the Heads of State.

However, Abdulah said while Government and the police stopped the march, workers and trade unions would still make their voices heard at the St Augustine rally. He called on all members of the oppressed working class to attend the rally and let their voices be heard. He alleged that Philbert was given clear instructions by the Government not to allow the peaceful march to highlight workers’ issues. Abdulah also stated that on Holy Thursday he had a discussion with Prime Minister Patrick Manning, who said any march would be against Government policy.