Union boss disputes Agro minister’s claim

Maharaj also accused the operators of a farm of engaging in illegal industrial relations practices as some workers employed continuously for the past ten years, have been redefined as “short term employment’ and no longer entitled to sick and casual leave.

He said a worker had money deducted from his salary after he took a day off due to illness. “What is happening here is we are descending into an abyss of no return when it comes to labour relations in this country,” Maharaj said.

He displayed a memo titled - ‘policy re-payment to contract officers - head office’ which stated that workers classified under “Vote 22 - short term employment” are not entitled to sick and casual leave. He said workers were also informed they had to repay the ministry for over payments due to sick and casual leave for the period October 2016 - May.

“That is madness and will not be tolerated by the union,” Maharaj vowed. Regarding plots of lands still owed to ex-Caroni workers, Maharaj said the Agriculture Minister was being deliberately misled by technocrats in his ministry.

“I am disputing the Minister’s figure and I want him to ask the Commissioner of State Lands to show who are these people who received leases for agricultural lands and where they are, Maharaj said. “What is certain is that these lands are not in the hands of the former Caroni workers,” he said.