Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told reporters at Piarco Airport onWednesday the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) remains a member of the governing People’s Partnership Government and that the party has not issued an ultimatum for its continued involvement in the coalition.
"I am being advised there is no ultimatum, whatsoever,” Persad-Bissessar insisted. She noted that two weeks ago Abdullah publicly expressed the MSJ’s full support for and confidence in her as Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister said Abdullah and the MSJ want a meeting of the leaders and she said she is committed to holding that meeting before the end of the month.
She promised that the People’s Partnership would not “fracture and fragment” because of differences among its members. “So we will meet, we will talk. I know Mr Abdullah is very concerned with certain matters but he has agreed that we will meet and look at the differences and find consensus,” she added.
Abdullah told reporters Sunday the MSJ has been discussing the state of governance and the MSJ’s role in the coalition and members have raised certain matters relating to policy.
“These policy decisions, we believe, have been in conflict with the interests of labour, whose interest we represent,” he said, noting that the party represents ALL working people. Abdullah claimed that the Government has demonstrated a “lack of respect and regard for labour”.
Abdullah said, “the Government attacked the trade unions by way of the attempt to impose a one-size-fits-all wage cap of five per cent which, had it succeeded, would have undermined the free collective bargaining process.”
Persad-Bissessar was speaking at a media briefing shortly after she returned home from a two-day state visit to Panama. Former MSJ leader Errol McLeod was acting Prime Minister during her absence.
She said the request from MSJ leader Senator David Abdullah is a call for discussions, which is a healthy thing in a democratic institution such as the People's Partnership.
"I am being advised there is no ultimatum, whatsoever,” Persad-Bissessar insisted. She noted that two weeks ago Abdullah publicly expressed the MSJ’s full support for and confidence in her as Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister said Abdullah and the MSJ want a meeting of the leaders and she said she is committed to holding that meeting before the end of the month.
She promised that the People’s Partnership would not “fracture and fragment” because of differences among its members. “So we will meet, we will talk. I know Mr Abdullah is very concerned with certain matters but he has agreed that we will meet and look at the differences and find consensus,” she added.
Abdullah told reporters Sunday the MSJ has been discussing the state of governance and the MSJ’s role in the coalition and members have raised certain matters relating to policy.
“These policy decisions, we believe, have been in conflict with the interests of labour, whose interest we represent,” he said, noting that the party represents ALL working people. Abdullah claimed that the Government has demonstrated a “lack of respect and regard for labour”.
Abdullah said, “the Government attacked the trade unions by way of the attempt to impose a one-size-fits-all wage cap of five per cent which, had it succeeded, would have undermined the free collective bargaining process.”
He gave a deadline of May 24 for the partnership to respond to the MSJ's concerns as a condition for remaining in the coalition. (Read the story)
Persad-Bissessar also commented on the March 24 executive elections of her party - the United National Congress (UNC). She said every member has the democratic right to support any candidate. And anyone is free to contest any of the posts. That is democracy at work, she said.
No comments:
Post a Comment