$100,000 for Labour Day

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar pledged on Saturday to give $100,000 to the Labour Movement for help pay for the cost of Labour Day celebrations. She also promised to set up a task force to review all labour laws in Trinidad and Tobago.

"I wish to state that the Government of the People’s Partnership will establish a task force comprised of the tripartite partners to review all labour laws currently on the books with special focus on repealing the Archaic Industrial Relations Act of 1972 and enhancing the benefits under the retrenchment and severance benefits act of 1985,” the Prime Minister said.

Persad-Bissessar made the statements at the historic Charlie King Junction, Fyzabad after marching with tens of thousands in the annual labour day march.

Labour Day in the country is celebrated on June 19 to coincide with the 1930s labour riots triggered by a national strike called by late labour leader Tubal Uriah "Buzz" Butler.

The moment had special significance for the prime minister because it was at that same venue that she launched the People's Partnership earlier this year and then led the coalition to a landslide victory in the May 24 general election.

She also made another important announcement. “We will also increase maternity benefits to 14 weeks which is consistent with the standards set down by the International Labour Organisation to which Trinidad and Tobago is a party."

Persad-Bissessar also repeated what she had said when she announced that local government elections would be held on July 26 - that it is in keeping with the pledge to hold local government elections this year.

She added that the continuous postponement of the elections by the previous administration on the past four occasions is "a subversion of the democracy". July 5 has been designated nomination day for the poll.

Several ministers and trade unionists walked with the Prime Minister including Labour Minister Errol Mcleod, Housing Minister Dr Roodal Moonilal and OWTU president general, Ancil Roget.

Most major trade unions in the country participated in the Labour Day event in Fyzabad. However SWWTU president Michael Annisette was absent. He is a former Independent Senator and was a UDeCOTT board member under the previous administration.