MP for Couva North Rudranath Indarsingh strongly criticized employees who dismissed employees just two hours before the Tropical storm was forecast to hit the country. In a press release issued today, "he called for the Government to mandate an adverse weather advisory protocol, which would ensure that businesses relieve their workers at an acceptable and sensible time so that workers may attend to their safety."
The following is a press release from the MP:
Today, my family and I are grateful that Trinidad and Tobago were spared the brunt of the adverse weather pattern which was forecasted by the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological (Met) Office yesterday, and for which, the entire country was bracing. Across our islands, individuals, families, communities and businesses were preparing for the worst, given the tone and tenor of the warnings which were received.
While I am not convinced that God is a ‘Trini’, I am certainly convinced that God has been merciful to us yet again. I urge all citizens our beloved country to not become complacent with weather warnings, and to take every bulletin emerging from the Met Office seriously, as it is always better to be crying tears of laughter than tears of sorrow.
Yesterday’s adverse weather pattern and the warnings in advance of such brought out the best and worst of our employers in this country. I wish to commend those companies and businesses which heeded the Met Office’s warnings, and which saw it fit to put the safety and wellbeing of their employees first by allowing them sufficient time to leave their respective duties, go home, secure their families and properties, so as to ensure sufficient preparation for the impending storm.
I noted in strong disbelief of several posts on social media of companies dismissing their workers within just two hours of the time at which the Met Office advised the storm would have hit our shores. This was further confirmed having received several calls from workers across the country of offices and private sector businesses attempting to keep workers in their establishments based on their own disbelief that the storm would come.
On the same note I wish to strongly lambast those companies who took the safety and wellbeing of their workers for granted, for putting their ‘almighty dollar’ first. I wish to remind these companies, especially those who see themselves as ‘holding’ some level of ‘prestige’, that the real prestige behind your businesses are your workers.
Many of these workers are single parents with an extended family having children, parents, life and property to secure against stormy conditions. Additionally, not every worker may be as fortunate as the owners and directors of these companies to live in well drained areas with immaculate infrastructure. Many workers come from humble homes which cannot be taken for granted in extraordinarily adverse weather conditions or warnings of such.
When one considers the closing time of some businesses, the scarcity of public transportation given the weather alerts, the potential for flood, traffic disruptions combined with the responsibilities to pick up children from caregivers, tend to family members, the need to secure property, and the challenging time window in which all of these issues must be considered, businesses need to do better in ensuring the welfare of their workers. I want to categorically state that the ‘haves’ must consider the wellbeing of the ‘have nots’, if the ‘haves’ must continue to have. Your economic privilege continues to be contingent on the wellbeing of the working class.
I am therefore calling on the Government to mandate an adverse weather advisory protocol, which would ensure that businesses relieve their workers at an acceptable and sensible time so that workers may attend to their own safety. This protocol should be enforced by the Ministry of Labour and its supporting agencies. It should also include increased access to public transportation in cases of adverse weather, and a system that allows for benefits and protection of skeleton staff in businesses where such staff is necessary.
In rebuilding our economy post-Covid-19, we must guard against business owners who are minded to take their employees safety for granted, because of their economic privilege. We urge all workers and their employers to be mindful of imminent weather warnings, and to stand on the side of caution rather than weep on the side of carelessness. The Opposition continues to stand on the side of workers in both the public and private sector in this country, so as to ensure their protection, better working conditions, peace, bread and justice.