Public Service Association (PSA)president Watson Duke says there will be civil disobedience in the country. He is also calling on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to treat with issues facing the country.
Speaking yesterday at a press conference at the association’s office, Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, Duke said, “We are ready to start protesting, start a level of civil disobedience in this country that was absent over the last two years. We gave it a long rest and now is time the Government speaks to these issues seriously. The Carnival is over and Easter and Good Friday are also over. It now time for the Government to deliver.”
Duke said there has been wanton spending by the Prime Minister and that Government spent millions on paintings, the seabridge, the grooming of the golf course and an ailing minister.
“There is a design call out to the Prime Minister, the head of the Public Service, the head of our country to start handling public servants, officers and workers in general in this country or call elections now. We are not in the mood to play wait or wait for the mid-year review,” he said.
He added: “All that has taken place while my members, 80,000 public servants, in this country continue to catch their nennen and wonder where their next meal is coming from. Wondering how they will pay their debt collectors, going into debt and further debt and this make believe talk that there is no money in the country.”
Duke said the country has been in chaos for some time.
“Then we have the threat of further joblessness by creating the T&T Revenue Authority by destroying WASA, destroying Customs and Excise, destroying Immigration and destroying Petrotrin,” he said.
He said members of his union have been warned of upcoming property tax, public transport and a hike in water and electricity rates.
Duke said during last year’s negotiations in November, the Ministry of Finance offered zero per cent wage increase from 2014 upwards but one per cent wage increase for 2020.
“Where are we going in a country with so much wealth that this country is bursting at its seams with banks accounts sky-rocketing to millions and billions?” he asked.
He said the Government has stopped talking to the PSA. He is also appealing to the Government to “sign (agree) that no one will lose their job.”
He said next week, the PSA intend to hold a “mass burning” of university degrees because they served no purpose in this country, as many people with those degrees cannot find jobs
