Leader of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ancel Roget is warning of the possibility of another state of emergency before the September 7 general election.
Asked what evidence he had to support the claim that th Government was planning another state of emergency, Roget said: “We have had enough events and evidence to suggest to us very strongly that it is in the offing, that (state of emergency) is under consideration.”
Roget spoke to the media before leading a protest accompanied by members Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), Communication Worker’s Union, Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU), and representatives of the Sheep and Goat Farmer’s Association.
Government officials have repeatedly denied any intention to call another state of emergency.
The group gathered in front of the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, yesterday in observance of the fourth anniversary of the August 21 state of emergency.
Armed police arrived as the protest grew larger and one officer spoke with Roget.
The protestors wore their black jerseys and had black tape over their lips as they carried out the mid-morning protest through the streets of Port-of-Spain.
Roget told reporters that workers and other citizens must never forget that their rights were trampled upon by the Government and that they should ensure that such action never be taken again by any government in the future.
“We in the JTUM will never forgive them (government) for that (state of emergency,” he said.
Roget reminded that the Government had called the four-month state of emergency because there were seven murders within one weekend days before.
He said two and sometime three people were still being killed daily in the country.
He said with the continuation of the murders in the country “we can have a state of emergency declared any day.”
Roget said the declaration of a state of emergency in 2011 was an act of injustice on the citizens of the country.