SWUTT says Govt is ‘deceitful’

In an address to the media on Monday regarding the union’s protest outside the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Minister in the OPM Stuart Young was reported as saying that the union had not yet presented the identity of its proposed investor to the Government.

The union answered Young’s claim in a press release yesterday.

“Contrary to the claim of ignorance of the potential investor by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, we the Trade Union would like to say categorically that information on said investor was sent by letter (dated 11 February, 2017) via email, and hand delivered to the office of the Honourable Minister of State in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Stuart Young.” The Union said the letter was sent in response to a government request for information on the investor the day before, and gave details of the investor’s history, mission, and financial standing. The union has been vying for the restart of the plant ever since its closure last March which left more than 600 of its workers unemployed and without benefits. Though some workers have been able to find work since, many have not. They have had their cars and houses repossessed and some have reported experiencing added hardship in the marriages due to the financial strain.