Cops halt social justice march

Instead, the red-shirted workers, numbering in their hundreds, were forced to shorten the route, which would have taken the march through High Street, then onto Harris Promenade for a mass rally.

OWTU president general Errol Mc Leod condemned the police action as "highly offensive."

Yesterday’s march/rally called on Government to implement the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA). The marchers were members of the OWTU, Public Services Association (PSA), Communication Workers’ Trade Union, Steel Workers’ Union of Trinidad and Tobago and the Trinidad Islandwide Cane Farmers’ Association.

The march began in front of OWTU’s Paramount Building and, by mid-morning, hundreds of workers were marching along Coffee Street into Cipero Street.

Heavily-armed police officers from the Guard and Emergency Branch took up positions at Cipero Street Junction. An inspector of police approached McLeod and, pointing in the direction of Cipero Street, told the OWTU leader that he could not proceed along that route.

McLeod was also told by the inspector that he also could not lead the marchers through High Street.

The marchers continued along Coffee Street, down Lord Street and assembled at Harris Promenade. However, an irate McLeod, addressing the marchers, said, "now, why would we want to go on High Street. It is to have an opportunity to impact on the greatest number of people who we might meet. If not, we would have decided that this march would take place in San Souci."

The rally caused a heavy traffic pile-up, and more policemen went to the scene as the midday rush hour of shoppers created a blockage of the promenade until the meeting ended.

McLeod, who lambasted the police for the ban, said: "My view is that if all the policemen are engaged with us in a public demonstration, then we are likely to see a drastic fall in the incidence of criminal and other activity in the country." In a fighting mood, McLeod then declared that "before Christmas," Port-of-Spain, and the nation’s Parliament would be the next destination on the road to implementation of the OSHA legislation. Saying that accidents do not "just happen," Mc Leod contended that they are caused by employers’ failure to ensure the safety of employees.

McLeod said while OSHA legislation was "not perfect," it has to be proclaimed since it had been approved by Parliament to guarantee a safer working environment.

The OWTU leader threatened that if Labour Minister Danny Montano does not ensure implementation of OSHA, workers "may report to the gates of the employer, but refuse to work."

Also calling for implementation of OSHA was Savitree Heerlal, mother of Shivan Heerlal, who was killed in an industrial accident earlier this year.