Indarsingh on PM: Words of desperation

At a political meeting in Tabaquite on Wednesday night Manning said the unions would have to wait like everyone else. Government last year intervened to bail out Clico and Clico Investment Bank because CL Financial was on the verge of collapse.

However, speaking to Newsday after a meeting with Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the Office of the Opposition Leader on Charles Street, Port-of-Spain, Indarsingh said it was desperation being displayed in the politicking.

“I don’t know if he is using the machinery of the state to intrude on the bank accounts and so on of trade unionists. That will be a dangerous precedent if it is being done.” Indarsingh said investors in Colonial Life would come from all across the society since many people were affected by what happened at Clico.

“People are very concerned and they have a right to be concerned but the trade union movement is more concerned with issues that will improve the quality of life of all citizens outside of industrial relations issues.”

Unions also want stringent financial regulation implemented to deal with situations such as what happened at Clico.

Indarsingh said Manning should be telling the public why the regulators failed and make persons accountable instead of trying to “bring red herrings”. Second vice-president of the Public Services Association Christopher Joefield said the PSA’s only interest was for its members.

“We are part of Natuc, which is collaborating with this party to ensure the interests of labour are given prominence. This thing about Clico we don’t know anything about that,” he said. Joefield said the comment was probably intended to distract from the important issues.