Today I want to talk about “after carnival”, that vague time which has been on the lips of agitators, commentators and of course, the PNM politicians and their supporters. And now it is “after carnival”.
We had seen, leading up to Carnival, running parallel with the mounting excitement and the usual Carnival controversies, a rising level of political and labour unrest of a kind not seen or heard in years.
Watson Duke, head of the PSA, who was totally spurned by the PNM when they refused to even begin wage negotiations with the PSA, has been taking out those PNM created frustrations on the new government.
As he seeks to get himself arrested, and don the cloak of petty martyrdom, he becomes sillier in the eyes of the public, including, I surmise, many of his Association’s membership.
Does Mr. Duke, or the PSA, or anyone for that matter, believe that the new government wants to short-change Public Servants? Why would they have wanted to do that? After “joining” with the PSA cause and actually “axing the tax” after coming into government, are we to believe that the Peoples Partnership suddenly decided to spite the public service and squeeze them on the wage increases?
But the PNM, the cause of the problem, is now supporting the PSA, and the PSA, pretending not to know from whence came their problems, are lapping up the PNM support.
It is bad enough, but understandable given the man’s attitude, that Watson Duke condemns the construction of the highway to Point Fortin, and threatens to “block the work”.
However, when previously intelligent people like Senator Pennelope Beckles join in and call for “humanity before highways”, I say we reach!
Where was Penny’s concern for “humanity” when children were dying for want of care in our hospitals, when citizens had no water and less security, and Manning and the compliant PNM were building the Waterfront, NAPA, Manning’s Palace and Pena’s Church?
These people really do find conscience and morality in opposition, when they had none while in power, and it would have been so useful then!
This country has been openly threatened with labour unrest and shutdowns “after carnival”. Mr. Duke has made no bones about his intentions in this regard. There shall be no mediation, no Industrial Court, and no interest in the overall good for the country at this time.
Of course, all of this civil service protest, staying away from work and disruption at work, also serves another important part of the overall agenda. Effectively, under the ruse of labour disputes, all of this disruption sabotages the work of government, and the ongoing rallies about how callous and heartless is the government causes further resentment and the matter spirals beyond control.
The Police Service and other arms of security are also complaining and taking action, as are other unions beyond the service of government. Everybody wants their perceived share RIGHT NOW!
And nothing could be pleasing the PNM more.
Fanning every glowing ember of dissatisfaction into flame, the PNM, which is the cause of the current financial problems hurting Labour, is condemning this government for the situation.
Do you all remember, about a year ago, Patrick Manning feteing the CEPEP workers at a gathering at Jean Pierre Complex? Do you remember him telling them that they all deserved more money?
And how they jumped and danced at that, waving their hands in the air, all that was missing was the balisiers! But Patrick let them wine for a while, then he held up his hands to them, to silence them, and to say “…But not yet, you see, we really do not have any money to pay you this raise now, but it will come…”, and they dance and wine to that too.
And now the PNM is telling them that the time has come NOW!
And the sad truth is that the PNM has no desire to take back the government now.
They know too well of the financial difficulties ahead, difficulties they created. So why are they hastening the “troubles” to which they keep referring, both in parliament and in their blogs?
Because, in my view, the PNM needs to sow whatever seeds of disaffection and disruption they can in the hope of “troubles” forcing the closure of the Commissions of Inquiry into July 1990, CLICO, and the investigations into Hart and UDECOTT, Pena’s Church and the state of all those empty buildings on the waterfront.
Obviously in the know about something which they have not told the police, the PNM keeps referring to the troubles to come “after carnival”.
What is it that they know? What is it that they are inciting? Trouble is stirring in this country, and the hand on the spoon is the hand of the PNM.
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