ECA calls on unions and employers: Place country first

The ECA, in a media release, was commenting on the decision by bpTT to construct its Angelin platform outside of Trinidad and Tobago.

“As we continue to navigate this period of economic uncertainty and the resultant declines in Government revenue and availability of jobs, the Employers Consultative Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ECA) finds it unfortunate, at the very least, that Trinidad and Tobago will not be benefitting from the local construction of bpTT’s Angelin platform,” the ECA stated.

The Association noted that a project of that magnitude was worth approximately two billion US dollars and was “exactly what is needed to inject the necessary boost into an otherwise relatively stagnant economy.” “More importantly, the loss of income to potential workers and their families, contractors, manufacturers, other service providers, the resultant ripple effect on the economy, and income to the Government’s coffers represents a significant loss for which there seems to be no apparent alternative,” the ECA stated.

However the ECA said bpTT’s decision was “not surprising and understandable” given the “regularity of industrial action, work stoppages, and other social unrest” the company would have experienced during construction of the Juniper platform.

“It should therefore come as no surprise that this company, or any company for that matter, would implement strategies to mitigate reoccurrence of these very real risks,” the ECA stated.

“The ECA has repeatedly and publicly shared its concerns relating to productivity and how much our inability to realise productivity is impeding business growth, foreign investment, our ability to compete in a global market, and our overall standard of living,” the ECA stated.

“Until and unless parties are willing to commit to placing country first through the process of honest conversations, the ECA is of the view that the antagonistic industrial relations climate will continue,” the ECA stated, adding the country could not afford the “cost of this continued hostility and non-cooperation among labour and employers in industrial relations matters as it is severely hurting our country and our future!”