Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:15 hours 11 min ago
Roget: We aren’t fooled and we won’t forget
Published: 18 Apr 2009
David Abdulah, Fitun president, left, Ancil Roget, president
general of OWTU and a union member during a midday protest
at the Independence Square roundabout, yesterday.
Ancil Roget, president general of Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), says people will not forget that the Government denied trade unions and workers of their constitutional right to stage a peaceful march. “We are not fooled by any of the reasons put forward by the Commissioner of Police... We know exactly who prevented us from having us exercise our constitutional right to march and to demonstrate today. “We will not forget... The people of T&T will not forget the Government for denying us the right to peaceful march and so on, and we will continue to remind them of what they did. “We will not forget that.”
He said yesterday’s assembly at the Independence Square roundabout was not only about those present, but on behalf of all the people of T&T and the region. “We have cleaned up the nation’s capital somewhat and tried to put on a smiling face to what really lies beneath the surface: crime, vagrancy, lack of proper healthcare facilities, and all of that. “We wish to make it clear that what is being presented is not the true picture of T&T.”
He said there was life after the Summit of the Americas, and on Monday morning “every single Trinidadian is going to be hard-hit with his or her condition of life, that which is very, very troubling and disturbing. “This gesture here is one of many to come; it will not be the last. There will be a lot more to come as we build momentum for the type of social justice movement to protect the citizens of this country and, indeed, the region, and going forward.” He added that they would not give up their right to demonstrate and let their voices be heard, even if exercising that right landed them into problems.
Jump high, jump low. After
Jump high, jump low. After all these utterances, and in spite of the fact that " We are not fooled by any of the reasons put forward by the Commissioner of Police... We know exactly who prevented us from having us exercise our constitutional right.....", the same speakers will vote the dictator back into power, and encourage their groups to follow suit.
It is nothing to do with politics, it has to do with the bogey of race. Do you think that COP's Dookeran has a chance when Panday and Manning have fully cornered the respective majority races for the polls? Labour leaders seem to be leaders forever, not unlike Panday and Manning. Same tired faces with ugly goatees and worn phrases and wearing old shredded militancy, trying to whip up froth in stagnant water. United Labour is incredible strength; selfish labour leaders, seeking their own ends are weak components of a possible vibrant society.
And in any case, fractured labour is a fickle component of the Trinidad fabric, and has little respect at the people level. A Labour Union is intended for worker representation, not as a vehicle for leaders in labour to fight national elections. Bhadase and Panday are exceptions coming from the heart of the cane saga. Cane is dead.
Rabble rousing with empty threats no longer works and with the current world economic problems, and in the Summit aftermath, prepare for great challenges to your very existence. Be responsible, encourage educated voting, and move the nation forward. Among you are people of education, intelligence and intellectual worth, but they are under the bushel; let their light shine. Dim lights are stil in control; get rid of these millstones to progress.
GrantAdamsCares
"We aren't fooled and we
"We aren't fooled and we won't forget", that is only for now because as soon as elections comes they memory gone and they voting the same PNM dictatorship in power....talk really cheap yes