Politicians not welcome at Labour Day march, but OWTU makes an exception for Abdulah

File: marching for Labour - David Abdulah and Ancel Roget

In his continuing war against the People's Partnership government Ancel Roget has stated that no government minister would be welcome at the annual Labour Day march in Fyzabad on Tuesday.

The president general of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union, who has vowed to bring down the government, said not even his former union colleague Errol McLeod would be welcome. 

“Absolutely none, none at all. There is absolutely no indication for and or any welcoming of any minister,” he said in Point Fortin Friday at a public march in honour of Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler.

“We will be dealing with issues with respect to all of those ministers on that labour day platform,” the OWTU boss said.

However government Senator David Abdulah, who leads the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), will be allowed to attend. The MSJ is a member of the governing coalition and also an executive member of the OWTU.

Roget is making an exception for Abdulah since he is "not a minister".

The labour movement has always tried to distance itself from politicians with the exception of former prime minister and former trade unionist Basdeo Panday, who was the only politician to ever speak on the Labour Day platform. 

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar participated in the annual Butler Labour Day march in Fyzabad in 2010, but did not speak.

File: PM Kamla, Abdulah and Roget hold hands at the 2010 Labour Day march. Errol McLeod is behind

Roget expects 19 trade unions to be present in Fyzabad on Tuesday and made it clear that the head of the Public Service Association (PSA), Watson Duke, is not welcome. Members of the PSA, he said, are invited.