Labout blames T&T gov't for economic mess

The labour movement in Trinidad and Tobago isn't buying into the "belt-tightening" message from Prime Minister Patrick manning. And its representatives are saying it's government's own spending habits that got the nation into the economic mess. That's why they are will continue demanding wage increases for workers.

Manning's message to the nation Thursday night was that both the government and the citizens must make adjustments to meet the challenges of the financial crisis facing the world and the impact it is having on the national economy.

And Manning spoke about lowering expectations for wage increase, saying there would not be any increases in the public sector. At the same time has has talked about higher unemployment and the need to invest more in CEPEP and URP.

But workers in other sectors are worried that with inflation on a steady climb, reaching 15.4 per cent in October, and food prices continually climbing, they won't be able to cope. They say the reality for them is that they are chasing inflation just to survive.

The President of the powerful Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) wants Manning to show leadership and example in belt-tightening. Ancil Roget said Friday government must show increased productivity.

"You start from health, you start from Ministry of Works, look at the flooding that we are experiencing in the nation’s capital, all of the ministries, you have a very low level of productivity coming from those ministers,” Roget said.

“Cabinet itself ought to get up and demonstrate high and increased productivity levels. The Government should apologize to working people for mismanaging the economy,” Roget told reporters covering a protest staged by the Communication Workers Union at TSTT’s office on Edward Street, Port-of-Spain.

The oilfield workers chief blamed government’s for the rise in the inflation rate. “How many times we were marching and pleading with the Prime Minister and his Cabinet to cut back on their spending? The Government was mismanaging the economy, overspending and driving inflation up,” Roget said.

He insisted that union leaders would not tolerate any retrenchment. “We will not accept any job-cuts in any one of the sectors, private or public, so we will fight against that. If there’s any job cuts at all."

The union leader said Manning should look at size of his cabinet make his ministers more efficient.” That same concern has been expressed by opposition leader Basdeo Panday.

The President of The federation of Independent Trade Unions (FITUN) has also expressed concern over the present situation and government's approach to dealing with the problem.

In a statement, David Abdulah declared that Manning’s address confirmed the Government had failed the country by refusing to admit that the international financial crisis could have a negative impact on the country.