Kamla: Labour Minister must resign

The authority is provided for under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).

Speaking yesterday at a press conference at the Opposition’s Charles Street, Port-of-Spain office, Persad-Bissessar said, “With the appointment of some members of the authority, the process has started but the population must not be misled into thinking that the (authority) is functional.”

Noting that the process was begun only after 20 persons were injured on a government site in Port-of-Spain on Wednesday, the Opposition Leader added, “The rush to appoint two members does not mean that workers now have the protection they have been clamouring for.

“The Minister of Labour needs to truthfully tell the population the time line and the schedule for bringing the entire OSHA into effect.”

She said a further 30 nominees must be appointed on the authority for it to become functional, and these have not yet been identified.

Persad-Bissessar said five persons have reportedly been killed in nine industrial accidents over the past 12 months, and millions of dollars have been lost in numerous smaller incidents.

She said Montano is on record for providing multiple reasons why the authority could not have been set up but, suddenly, all barriers are gone.

“This suggests the Government was deliberately withholding effecting the Act,” she charged.