Thursday, February 23, 2017

Press Release

23rd February, 2017

The President General of the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union and Political Leader of the National Solidarity Assembly, Mr. Nirvan Maharaj is offering full support to Mr. Liaquat Ali in his call for the Agricultural Development Bank to be made a Commercial Bank facilitating the Agricultural Sector of Trinidad and Tobago.

There is no doubt that innovative ways must be found to stimulate the Agriculture Sector in order to assist in the diversification of the Economyand allow this sector to be the foundation upon which the diversification stands, especially in light of the fact that Trinidad and Tobago imports billions of dollars of food every year.

An idea such as this can allow for a more enabling agricultural environment, with the Agricultural Development Bank, operating on the basis of profit making, but with a flexibility based social conscience and understanding of the unique circumstances our agriculturalist sometimes have to undergo, e.g. natural disasters and surplus or reduced produce etc.

This will allow our people engaged in the Agricultural Sector to escape the trapping of sometimes unimaginable Bank charges and procedures that sometimes make financial assistant to those engaged in Agriculture almost impossible, more so when Farmers are on Tenanted Lands or fall within the realm of State Lands and Caroni VESEP Lands.
The time has come to ensure that the interest of the nation, more so food security is placed above seemingly myopic narrow minded business interest, geared only towards profit maximization by any means necessary.

The idea of Mr. Ali is indeed one that should be considered by those in Authority, and after a proper logistical study is done, the necessary legislative reform be put in place to give impetus to an idea, that if properly implemented, can help stimulate economic growth, ensure food security, create employment, make agriculture attractive to the young and ease the financial constraints facing our nation.

We are therefore calling on the Minister of Agriculture to begin immediate discussions with the Minister of Finance and other relevant stakeholders, to ensure that the process to give practical manifestation to this idea is dealt with in an expeditious manner.

Yours sincerely

NIRVAN MAHARAJ
(Attorney-at-Law)
President General (ATGWTU)
Political Leader (NSA)
3rd Vice President (NATUC)

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Media Release

Media Release
January 31, 2017

The Political Leader of the National Solidarity Assembly (NSA) and President General of the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union (ATGWTU) Nirvan Maharaj is calling on the Peoples National Movement Government and the Opposition United National Congress to rise above the pettiness of scoring cheap political points against each other and immediately join together across the table of brotherhood and in the national interest find a way to deal with the savagery and brutality of a crime scourge never before experienced in this Country.

An aura of abject fear and terror is now stalking our twin island nation state and we can no longer continue to blame each other, but instead work together for the national good. The Peoples National Movement must understand that it is no longer in Opposition but is now in charge of steering the ship of state. It can no longer continue to blame the Opposition UNC for every ill in the society since; it is the PNM who now bears the responsibility of Government and as such must be answerable as those who govern always is.

I therefore wish to openly support the call by the Leader of the Opposition for an extraordinary sitting of Parliament, in order to deal with the escalating crime situation. However, for once in our nation’s history this sitting of Parliament must not be about debate and party paramountcy and winner takes all. Instead it must be a sitting of Parliament based on the concept of a ‘National Front Parliament’- a joint and unified effort by the PNM and UNC to arrive at immediate short term, medium term and long term solutions to our crime situation. It must be a Parliament of representatives of the citizenry of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and not simply representatives of the PNM or UNC political party.

The People of this nation are utterly fed up of meaningless words, signifying nothing and crime being used as a political football. Statistics and theory cannot stop the tears and pain and misery of the victims of crime and the anguish of families who have had loved ones, murdered, robbed, raped and brutalised in the worst manner.

Our nation is under siege and we must declare a state of war on the criminals who like minions of hell plague the land. There are people who have no compassion, no feelings, no rational, no conscience, they are soulless and driven by scavenger like animalistic instinct, they will, kill, rape, rob and brutalise and torture without any remorse. These people must be removed from normal society.

We must fight fire with fire and the State must lead the charge in ensuring that every citizen is able to enjoy their constitutional right to enjoyment of property and to live in safety and security without fear or terror.

We must start by the UNC and the PNM joining together to ensure the implementation of the death penalty as a start, not necessarily as a deterrent to all crime but as a just and fitting punishment for certain deliberate and pre-mediated horrific crimes committed.
Those who have violated the human rights of innocent law abiding citizens must themselves be stripped of the right to escape fitting punishment or to continue destroying the society and the lives of law abiding citizens.

The time has also come for the Parliament to consider the Reform of our Constitution to allow after proper checks and balances for the right of our citizens to bear arms. It cannot be that we are going to allow innocent law abiding citizens to be sheep and fodder for criminals to whom the ownership of illegal firearms is a norm without fear of the law. Citizens must be given a fighting chance to defend themselves, since there cannot be a Police Officer in every home. The law cannot continue to operate to the detriment of our law abiding citizens by stripping them of the means of defending themselves.

I also agree with the Leader of the Opposition that our women, or sisters and daughters and wives and nieces and our mothers be allowed to protect themselves with Pepper Spray and Tasers. They must be given the chance to at least have a chance to escape from the human predators that seek to hunt them.

We cannot continue to sacrifice the safety of our people on misused theoretical concepts of human rights for criminals who violate the rights of others without remorse, otherwise we may very well lose our nation and the safety of our people on the altar of misguided liberalism and humanist thought. The victims of crime and the families of those murdered are the ones who know the difference between theory and the practical reality of a criminal animal.

It is no longer about human rights as much as it is about human survival especially in a society where criminals have seemingly gone mad and running wild and unchecked.

Yours sincerely
Nirvan Maharaj
(Attorney-at-Law)
President General (ATGWTU)
3rd Vice President (NATUC)

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

INDEPENDENCE GREETINGS

On behalf of the National Solidarity Assembly and the All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union, I wish to extend my sincerest congratulations and best wishes to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, as we celebrate fifty-four years of Independence.
As a nation we have achieved much in terms of infrastructural, political, economic, social and cultural development. Our people have accomplished so many great achievements in the realm of sports, science, law, education, music, social sciences and the humanities, that Trinidad and Tobago is now a household name in many parts of the world.
We must always, in order to positively move forward, reflect on and learn from the struggles of the past and the sacrifices of our forefathers as they carved out a place not only for themselves but for us, in this land that is Trinidad and Tobago.
Fifty-four years after Independence let us continue to work together to construct a nation built on the principle of unity in diversity. Let us continue to strive to develop the will, the determination and the process necessary to increase the patriotism and nationalism necessary to bind us as a people and so truly to become one nation, one people that is Trinidad and Tobago.
I thank you.
Yours sincerely,

………………………………………..
Nirvan Maharaj (Attorney-at-Law)
Political Leader (NSA)
President General (ATGWU)
3rd Vice President (NATUC)

Monday, August 22, 2016

Unemployment Bureau

Media Release
August 22nd, 2016

The All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union wishes to advise the National Community of the opening of its Unemployment Bureau from Monday 22nd August, 2016.
The Union is offering this service free of charge, in order to help alleviate the plight of unemployed persons and those who have been retrenched.
All interested individuals are asked to deliver a copy of their Resume/CV at the Union’s office located at the Rienzi Complex, Exchange Village, Couva or telephone 636-2354 for further information. After which these individuals will be contacted as soon as possible when positions arise within the Companies serviced by the Union as well as others seeking Employees.
The Union believes that the role of Trade Unions must also include addressing the concerns of those individuals within our society who are unemployed and actively seeking employment.
The Unemployment Bureau will be headed by Mr. Rajindra Mohan, General Secretary of the All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union, who can be contacted at the above mentioned telephonenumber.

……………………………………………………..
NIRVAN MAHARAJ
President General (ATGWTU)
Attorney at Law
Political Leader (NSA)
2nd Vice President (NATUC)

Friday, July 29, 2016

Emancipation Day 2016





Press Release
July 29, 2016

The All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union (ATGWTU) and The National Solidarity Assembly (NSA), wishes to extend its warmest greetings and sincerest congratulations to our Afro Trinbagonian Brothers and Sisters and by extension the wider nation as a whole as we celebrate Emancipation Day 2016.
August 1st 1838 represented the beginning of a new dawn in the lives of thousands of people of African Descent. A people freed from a system of slavery, designed to rip from them every shred of afro economic, social and political identity.
Today the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union and the National Solidarity Assembly pays special tribute to those who though shackled by the physical bonds of whips and chains, enmeshed in a mosaic of beatings, abuse, misery and pain, were still able to hold on to and maintain their ancestral linkages.
The Union and the National Solidarity Assembly pay homage and respect to the persons of African descent who resisted slavery, both actively and passively and those who accepted their destiny whilst instilling ancestral beliefs in their children and their children children’s for generations up to this present day. These are the people who retained their cultural, heritage, ancestry in the face of impossible odds. These are the people who were never truly enslaved as they aspired and persevered against tremendous odds to ensure that their heritage was preserved.


……………………………………………………..
NIRVAN MAHARAJ
President General (ATGWTU)
Attorney at Law
Political Leader (NSA)
2nd Vice President (NATUC)

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

PRESS RELEASE : the passing of Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning


The President General, Central Executive, Staff and membership of the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union (ATGWTU) would like to extend sincere and heartfelt condolences to the wife and family on the untimely and sudden passing of the our former Prime Minister Mr. Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning.

The Union wishes to place on record that Mr. Manning made a monumental contribution to the historical, political and socio –economic development of Trinidad and Tobago and its people. Additionally, he will always be remembered as someone who was deeply committed to regional integration, the West Indian identity and a Caribbean man.

Whilst the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union recognises that Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean region will be poorer with his passing, we are firm in our conviction that the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago will dig deep within our resolve to ensure that his legacy and contribution will continue to play a part in the continued quest for nation building and development and that also of the West Indian people.

We will conclude that in death there is also life and the work and legacy of Mr. Manning with continue to live on.

Yours sincerely,


Nirvan Maharaj (Attorney at Law)
President General (ATGWTU)
Political Leader (NSA) 
3rd Vice President (NATUC)

PRESS RELEASE : Eid Greetings



The President General, Central Executive, Staff and membership of the All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union (ATGWTU) would like to extend Eid Greetings to the Muslim Community of Trinidad and Tobago on the very auspicious and joyous occasion of Eid Ul Fitr 2016.

Eid Ul Fitr comes at the termination of the Holy month of Ramadan and signifies the end of the fasting period for Muslim Sisters and Brothers. As we celebrate this pious occasion we take the opportunity to call not only upon the Muslim Community, but the entire citizenry of our beloved Trinidad and Tobago to take time and reflect upon the rich lessons which can be learnt from this month of sacrifice. The self-discipline, dedication, commitment and respect must be extended throughout the entire year and be incorporated as principles in our daily lives as we strive to improve the quality of society on a whole. 

May Allah continue to shower his choicest blessings upon all and Eid Mubarak to the Muslim Community.

Yours sincerely,


Nirvan Maharaj (Attorney at Law)
President General (ATGWTU)
Political Leader (NSA) 
3rd Vice President (NATUC)