The All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union and The National Solidarity Assembly is calling on the Former Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Kamla Persad Bissessar to accept, precedent as all other Prime Minister’s would have done before her and also honour the results of the General Elections of 2015. We are also calling on the Former Prime Minister to cease and desist from pursuing a frivolous and vexatious court action and allow the nation to move on with a change of Government with peaceful transition, especially in light of the fact that the PNM did not only win the 23 seats but also won the popular vote.
The Former Prime Minister seems to be unable to grasp that the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago is the supreme law of the land and will over-ride any subsidiary piece of legislation passed by Parliament. It is a concept in which is implied, that in a subsidiary piece of legislation nothing could be theoretically incompatible or inconsistent with the Constitution. The Constitution gives the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) the unfettered right to conduct elections and ensure citizens have the right to vote and do what is necessary to ensure that right.
Section 71(8) of the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago gives the Commission the right to regulate its own procedure and Section 71 (12) also indicates that the Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.
The Former Prime Minister must be careful not to engage in any action that will further inflict a feeling of indignity on her own supporters, further heightened as she did on election night by the total disdain and contempt faced by UNC Supporters when she failed to show up to address, motivate and comfort her supporters in their darkest hour and in their greatness despair. It was indeed the final insult to her supporters who waited in vain for their Leader to show, but to no avail.
The country must move on, united and together for the elections are over.
Yours sincerely,
Nirvan Maharaj (Attorney at Law)
President General (ATGWTU)
Political Leader (NSA)
3rd Vice President (NATUC)
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Saturday, September 12, 2015
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Congratulations to Dr. Keith Rowley on his ascension to the office Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago.
Press Release :
The
All Trinidad General Workers’ Trade Union and the National
Solidarity Assembly extend its sincerest congratulations to Dr. Keith
Rowley on his ascension to the office Prime Minister of Trinidad and
Tobago.
We
commend the Prime Minister elect, on his determination, strength and
fortitude in not only winning the last Local Elections, the Tobago
House of Assembly Elections, the St. Joseph By-Elections and the
General Elections of 2015 but having done so, moved the People’s
National Movement from 12 seats to 23 seats in parliament.
We
look forward to working with the Prime Minister elect, in an amicable
and diplomatic manner towards resolving the outstanding issues
affecting Ex-Caroni Workers, Cane Farmers, those involved in the
agricultural sector including livestock, farming, fishing, tenants of
Caroni Land and squatters throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
We
are confident with the passage of time; your leadership through the
collective efforts of your entire Government would maintain the
unity, strength, dignity and unwavering determination for the
continued development of Trinidad and Tobago.
We
wish the Prime Minister elect all the best in his tenure-ship
for the next five years and do believe that once the mistakes of the
past and of past Prime Ministers are not repeated by Dr. Keith
Rowley, the new Prime Minister elect, has the opportunity to perhaps
make himself, one of the best Prime Minister Trinidad and Tobago has
ever seen and in that context, we take opportunity to wish you and
the Government a productive and fruitful term in office and a
deepening of the relationship with the All Trinidad General Workers’
Trade Union.
Yours
sincerely,
Nirvan Maharaj (Attorney at Law)
President General (ATGWTU)
Political Leader (NSA)
3rd Vice President (NATUC)
Nirvan Maharaj (Attorney at Law)
President General (ATGWTU)
Political Leader (NSA)
3rd Vice President (NATUC)
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Signing of the Sugarcane Feeds Centre Collective Agreement
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| Signing of the Sugarcane Feeds Centre Collective Agreement Photo Album : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.876005579137002.1073741843.360439284026970&type=3 |
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
PRESS RELEASE
Mr.
Bissoon Indarsingh was a solider in the struggle to ensure that Sugar
Workers received their just due in the economic battles of the past.
As a leader he was firm and unflinching in his duty to his Union and
the people of the section that he led.
Go
in peace our Brother, you will be sorely missed.
Yours
sincerely,
__________________________
Nirvan Maharaj
Nirvan Maharaj
President
General
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Press Release : Mora Valley Farm
The All Trinidad General Worker's Trade Union and the workers of Mora Valley Farm in Rio Claro are Tobago calling on the Chief Personnel Officer and by extension the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, to immediately begin the process of expediting negotiations for the employees of Mora Valley Farm for the outstanding period 2011-2013.
In addition we are also calling on the Government to immediately pay outstanding wages and outstanding annual leave payments for periods ranging from 2006-2013.
We are also asking the Government to immediately implement decisions taken in cabinet minute number 1854-2013/07/03, Note no (13) 143.
1. That the expenditure to be incurred in respect of the payment of gratuity be met from the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Finance and the Economy ( Pension Division ), and
2. That the Ministry of Food Production take steps to regularize the status of the contract staff beyond 2013.
These decisions shave not been implemented and as such the Government in a high handed and unjustified manner is also attempting to negotiate with these workers as if they are contract workers.
We are saying that these workers have suffered too long and the issues of the workers of the Farm must be dealt with immediately. It must never be forgotten that up till a few months ago there are workers who worked for years at this Farm without having access to sick leave, casual leave, over time and who were also paid below the minimum wage. There were people who worked for 12 hours and were only paid for eight. There are several health and safety issues together with a shortage of relevant staff and temporary workers who have been at the Farm for many years and to whom they turn for guidance and directions.
We are calling on the Government to end the suffering of the workers of Mora Valley Farm, remove them from the state of limbo that they exist in and simply give them their just due.
Your sincerely
__________________________
Nirvan Maharaj
President General - ATGWTU
In addition we are also calling on the Government to immediately pay outstanding wages and outstanding annual leave payments for periods ranging from 2006-2013.
We are also asking the Government to immediately implement decisions taken in cabinet minute number 1854-2013/07/03, Note no (13) 143.
1. That the expenditure to be incurred in respect of the payment of gratuity be met from the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Finance and the Economy ( Pension Division ), and
2. That the Ministry of Food Production take steps to regularize the status of the contract staff beyond 2013.
These decisions shave not been implemented and as such the Government in a high handed and unjustified manner is also attempting to negotiate with these workers as if they are contract workers.
We are saying that these workers have suffered too long and the issues of the workers of the Farm must be dealt with immediately. It must never be forgotten that up till a few months ago there are workers who worked for years at this Farm without having access to sick leave, casual leave, over time and who were also paid below the minimum wage. There were people who worked for 12 hours and were only paid for eight. There are several health and safety issues together with a shortage of relevant staff and temporary workers who have been at the Farm for many years and to whom they turn for guidance and directions.
We are calling on the Government to end the suffering of the workers of Mora Valley Farm, remove them from the state of limbo that they exist in and simply give them their just due.
Your sincerely
__________________________
Nirvan Maharaj
President General - ATGWTU
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Saturday, December 6, 2014
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Ex-Caroni workers invited to join new political party
By Carolyn Kissoon carolyn.kissoon@trinidadexpress.com
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Ex-Caroni-workers-invited--to-join-new-political-party-279990052.html
Story Created: Oct 21, 2014 at 8:28 PM ECT
Story Updated: Oct 21, 2014 at 8:28 PM ECT
FORMER Caroni (1975) Ltd workers have been invited to join the country’s newest political party, the National Solidarity Assembly (NSA), to contest seats in the 2015 general election.
The NSA was formed by members of the All Trinidad General Workers Union (ATGWU) and is expected to be launched next month.
ATGWU president general Nirvan Maharaj said the political party was formed to encourage the Government to respond to issues affecting ex-Caroni workers.
He said screening would begin soon for 17 candidates to represent constituencies in the sugar belt.
Four former sugar workers have already expressed interest in four seats, including Pointe-a-Pierre, Naparima, Couva South and Couva North, said Maharaj.
“It is an attempt to get the Government to respond in a meaningful way to the issues of the ex-Caroni workers. We will be contesting 17 seats in the sugar belt areas, all in a bid to give ex-Caroni workers a choice. It is not a question of winning or losing, but there are 1,000 ex-Caroni workers living in Couva North and if I get 1,000 votes I will know that the ex-Caroni workers are saying continue the struggle on our behalf,” he said.
And if the votes do not favour the NSA, Maharaj said, he would reassess his position.
“If they don’t (support) I will know they are saying to let somebody else do so. We cannot be struggling indefinitely. We need to get a mandate and 2015 will be the best time to get that mandate,” he said.
Maharaj said his resolve was strengthened when the Government distributed 500 acres of land to former workers last week.
“I have no choice, 500 acres were given out last week and leases were given out without any infrastructure, development, without any roads, drainage, access irrigation. We have people who got leases and don’t know where the lands are located. The minister is saying people can go on a computer and see where their lands are located but that is different from people physically going on a site to see their lands. I need to get a logical conclusion,” he said.
Maharaj said he was stunned by the increasing support from ex-Caroni workers, small farmers and other groups.
And if his political party succeeds in claiming above 1,000 votes in the Couva district, Maharaj said, he would continue to articulate on behalf of the ex-workers, seeking legal options to ensure the issues are settled.
“But it can’t be that you vote Ramona Ramdial and Rudranath Indarsingh today and then come to me to take up a struggle on your behalf and then elections are called and you vote for them again and then come to me the next day to take up a struggle against the persons you vote for,” he said, referring to current Government MPs.
Maharaj said he was not too concerned about winning the election race, but making a statement to the former workers that the power lies in their hands.
“If I don’t get the support I will have to rethink what I am doing, because at the end of the day we can’t struggle in isolation for those we are struggling for. We have to reassess and reanalyse the situations,” he said.
Couva South MP and former All Trinidad General Workers Union (ATGWU) president general Rudy Indarsingh questioned the intent in the formation of a new political party to contest seats in the sugar belt.
And he dismissed claims that the People’s Partnership Government was not doing enough to resolve outstanding issues faced by former sugar workers.
Indarsingh was responding to statements made by Maharaj, who is expected to launch his new political party next month.
“If you form a political party, you form a political party to get into government or to achieve being in government. The composition of Parliament is 41 seats. When I was president of the ATGWU I left a union that lost 12,000 members between 2003 and 2010. Steering that union financially was a challenge. I doubt that the union has been able to increase its membership tenfold since closure of Caroni (1975) Ltd,” he said.
Indarsingh questioned whether Maharaj’s decision to launch NSA was sanctioned by the union’s general council and financial executive.
He recalled that the People’s National Movement (PNM) shut down Caroni and was about to pay out workers’ financial entitlements when the union intervened.
And through a legal battle, he said, the union was able to secure residential and agricultural land for workers.
Indarsingh said the PNM delivered 184 agricultural leases in its nine years in government, whereas the People’s Partnership distributed 4,000-plus agricultural leases and 1,984 residential leases.
He said the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led Government also made it possible for the ex-Caroni workers to recover money they invested in Colonial Life Insurance Company (CLICO) and Hindu Credit Union (HCU).
Indarsingh said the Government had never shut its doors to dialogue with ATGWU to speed up the process in matters regarding the former workers.
“I am not saying that there are not some challenges, but the Government has been very open and committed to the process of continuing dialogue and working with the union. It is a work in progress and the Government is committed.”
Indarsingh said the last meeting between Government ministers and ATGWU was held at the Ministry of Housing two months ago.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Ex-Caroni-workers-invited--to-join-new-political-party-279990052.html
Story Created: Oct 21, 2014 at 8:28 PM ECT
Story Updated: Oct 21, 2014 at 8:28 PM ECT
FORMER Caroni (1975) Ltd workers have been invited to join the country’s newest political party, the National Solidarity Assembly (NSA), to contest seats in the 2015 general election.
The NSA was formed by members of the All Trinidad General Workers Union (ATGWU) and is expected to be launched next month.
ATGWU president general Nirvan Maharaj said the political party was formed to encourage the Government to respond to issues affecting ex-Caroni workers.
He said screening would begin soon for 17 candidates to represent constituencies in the sugar belt.
Four former sugar workers have already expressed interest in four seats, including Pointe-a-Pierre, Naparima, Couva South and Couva North, said Maharaj.
“It is an attempt to get the Government to respond in a meaningful way to the issues of the ex-Caroni workers. We will be contesting 17 seats in the sugar belt areas, all in a bid to give ex-Caroni workers a choice. It is not a question of winning or losing, but there are 1,000 ex-Caroni workers living in Couva North and if I get 1,000 votes I will know that the ex-Caroni workers are saying continue the struggle on our behalf,” he said.
And if the votes do not favour the NSA, Maharaj said, he would reassess his position.
“If they don’t (support) I will know they are saying to let somebody else do so. We cannot be struggling indefinitely. We need to get a mandate and 2015 will be the best time to get that mandate,” he said.
Maharaj said his resolve was strengthened when the Government distributed 500 acres of land to former workers last week.
“I have no choice, 500 acres were given out last week and leases were given out without any infrastructure, development, without any roads, drainage, access irrigation. We have people who got leases and don’t know where the lands are located. The minister is saying people can go on a computer and see where their lands are located but that is different from people physically going on a site to see their lands. I need to get a logical conclusion,” he said.
Maharaj said he was stunned by the increasing support from ex-Caroni workers, small farmers and other groups.
And if his political party succeeds in claiming above 1,000 votes in the Couva district, Maharaj said, he would continue to articulate on behalf of the ex-workers, seeking legal options to ensure the issues are settled.
“But it can’t be that you vote Ramona Ramdial and Rudranath Indarsingh today and then come to me to take up a struggle on your behalf and then elections are called and you vote for them again and then come to me the next day to take up a struggle against the persons you vote for,” he said, referring to current Government MPs.
Maharaj said he was not too concerned about winning the election race, but making a statement to the former workers that the power lies in their hands.
“If I don’t get the support I will have to rethink what I am doing, because at the end of the day we can’t struggle in isolation for those we are struggling for. We have to reassess and reanalyse the situations,” he said.
Couva South MP and former All Trinidad General Workers Union (ATGWU) president general Rudy Indarsingh questioned the intent in the formation of a new political party to contest seats in the sugar belt.
And he dismissed claims that the People’s Partnership Government was not doing enough to resolve outstanding issues faced by former sugar workers.
Indarsingh was responding to statements made by Maharaj, who is expected to launch his new political party next month.
“If you form a political party, you form a political party to get into government or to achieve being in government. The composition of Parliament is 41 seats. When I was president of the ATGWU I left a union that lost 12,000 members between 2003 and 2010. Steering that union financially was a challenge. I doubt that the union has been able to increase its membership tenfold since closure of Caroni (1975) Ltd,” he said.
Indarsingh questioned whether Maharaj’s decision to launch NSA was sanctioned by the union’s general council and financial executive.
He recalled that the People’s National Movement (PNM) shut down Caroni and was about to pay out workers’ financial entitlements when the union intervened.
And through a legal battle, he said, the union was able to secure residential and agricultural land for workers.
Indarsingh said the PNM delivered 184 agricultural leases in its nine years in government, whereas the People’s Partnership distributed 4,000-plus agricultural leases and 1,984 residential leases.
He said the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led Government also made it possible for the ex-Caroni workers to recover money they invested in Colonial Life Insurance Company (CLICO) and Hindu Credit Union (HCU).
Indarsingh said the Government had never shut its doors to dialogue with ATGWU to speed up the process in matters regarding the former workers.
“I am not saying that there are not some challenges, but the Government has been very open and committed to the process of continuing dialogue and working with the union. It is a work in progress and the Government is committed.”
Indarsingh said the last meeting between Government ministers and ATGWU was held at the Ministry of Housing two months ago.
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