PSA members camp out

The action stems from a meeting of the general council on Wednesday in which Duke was “suspended.”

However, Duke and the PSA executive continued with business as usual yesterday.

A little over ten PSA members, including former general secretary Oral Saunders, remained on the steps of the trade union’s head office on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain.

Alana Goodridge-George, who was the interim chairperson at the general council meeting, told Newsday yesterday a decision was taken at the meeting that the text message sent by Saunders tendering his resignation was invalid.

At the same meeting, she said, the council took the decision to suspend Duke and agreed that he must not conduct business on behalf of the trade union.

She said the union’s trustees were instructed to seize any and all property belonging to the union and being used by Duke.

“Watson Duke has refused to recognise the authority of the general council and has not handed over the union’s property.

We have decided to take the peaceful route and we have been here on the steps of the building since 7am,” she said.

Goodridge-George said police officers visited the building several times during the day to serve letters confirming Duke’s suspension and to retrieve property.