PSA heads joins UNC in fight against new T&T revenue agency

A showdown is looming between the government of Trinidad and Tobago and the Public Services Association (PSA) over the proposed Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Agency (TTRA).

And PSA president Watson Duke hopes will likely sit as a temporary opposition Senator this week when the bill goes to the Senate for debate.

Duke met with opposition members Friday, including Chief Whip Jack Warner and Oropouche MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, who is a labour specialist and a former labour minister.

But he has made it clear that his move to speak as a member of the opposition in Parliament does not mean that he is in bed with any political party.

"The PSA executive discussed several plans and realised the most effective approach would be to join the UNC on a short-term basis. This partnership is solely for the purpose of overturning that bill," Duke told the Trinidad Express.

"I already told the members of the PSA that if any of them want a political career, they would have to resign from the union. I have no interest in any politics other than the politics of the people," he explained.

He said his interest in seeking temporary membership in the Upper House is solely for the purpose of fighting the government on the TTRA legislation, adding that he feels he would have a stronger voice if it is coming from the Senate.

"I am simply pursuing every single legal limit to get the people’s views across," he said.