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alexk
Guest
Thousands of workers will suffer a loss of revenue if the country shuts down for a week in September, says president of the Greater San Fernando Chamber of Commerce Kiran Singh.
On Labour Day, Joint Trade Union Movement president Ancel Roget gave Government a failing grade during the unions’ annual rally at Charlie King Junction, Fyzabad.
Roget then called on citizens, civil society groups, religious groups, businesses, and non-governmental organization to support their call to make September 7, Government’s third anniversary, a day of rest and reflection.
According to a newspaper report, San Fernando Business Association president Daphne Barlett endorsed Roget’s advocacy but said that one day would not be enough. Bartlett was reported as saying, “Shutting down the country for one day doesn’t do much. Roget has to do better than that. We need a week of total shutdown. One day will not bring any results.”
But Singh said that it was with a certain amount of trepidation that he read about Roget’s request and later Bartlett’s.
He said that while he understood that trade unions want to send a message to the Government, such action can lead to disastrous economic circumstances.
“I join with my colleagues in the T&T Chamber and ECA, saying that any prolonged shutdown is bad.
As a matter of fact, it might be reckless. If a day will send a strong message, so be it, but country must come first.
We already have a lot of holidays in this country and our productivity and work ethic is already low, so I disagree with a week.
It will hurt us, send a message, yes, but don’t cause our citizens to suffer the economic hardships by a complete shutdown.
“Businesses will lose revenue. Thousands of employees will not be paid for any prolonged period of having to stay at home. If essential government services are shut down, how will the nation function? What message would we be sending to the international community?”
Singh suggested that all sectors work cohesively to address government decisions which affect the country and have open and meaningful dialogue to resolve conflicts that arise from time to time.
“Achieving first-world status requires us to live by our three national watchwords: Discipline, Tolerance and Production.”