Lead Editor-Politics
akash.samaroo@cnc3.co.tt
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has declared yesterday’s trade union protest against her Government a “bust,” telling those who participated that their message had been rejected by the population and that they should return to work on Monday.
The Prime Minister also shared an aerial photograph of the demonstration via social media, which appeared to show a low turnout, while suggesting that the media would not publish the image. However, the photograph has since been challenged by people who questioned whether it was taken at the height of the protest, arguing that it did not accurately reflect the number of people who participated in the march.
In a strongly worded statement following the demonstration in Port-of-Spain, Persad-Bissessar described the march as a “long-touted hate protest against the UNC,” which she claimed had “spectacularly failed.”
“The protest has bust, back to work on Monday, enjoy the weekend, your Prime Minister loves you,” she declared.
Persad-Bissessar accused those involved in the demonstration of being motivated by racial and political hatred towards her administration, insisting that the turnout reflected a rejection of their position.
“To those who protested today, the march is over, your racial and political hatred has been rejected by the population, have a wonderful weekend, go back to work on Monday and always remember: You have had leaders before me, you will have leaders after me but you will never ever have a leader who loves you more than I do.”
Persad-Bissessar also sought to discredit the protest’s support base, claiming that several groups she associated with the former People’s National Movement (PNM) administration had failed to turn out in significant numbers.
“The fake eat a food elite, local drug mafia, and the rich Indians, Chinese and Middle Easterners who the PNM MPs enriched at the expense of the working and middle classes during their time in government failed to show up in their numbers in PoS,” she claimed.
Her criticism followed days of increasingly heated exchanges between the Government and sections of the trade union movement over the reasons behind the protests.
Persad-Bissessar has suggested that opposition to her administration is being driven by racial and political considerations, a position rejected by trade union leaders, who insist their demonstrations are focused on workers’ concerns.
In yesterday’s statement, the PM maintained that protests motivated by hatred were destined to fail.
“Anything done because of racial and political hatred towards others will always fail,” she said.
She also questioned whether the demonstrators had challenged Opposition MPs over unresolved wage negotiations during the PNM’s tenure in office.
“Hopefully, the few persons involved got the opportunity to ask PNM MPs about their failure to pay backpay, increase salaries and offer more than zero per cent increases over the last ten years,” she said.
Despite her criticism of the protesters, Persad-Bissessar extended appreciation to unions maintaining dialogue with her administration.
“To the unions and union leaders who continue to work with the Government, we appreciate your patience and we will work to ensure that all your outstanding issues are resolved as soon as possible.”
She also thanked the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service for ensuring that no violence occurred against law-abiding citizens along the protest route.
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