The All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union (ATGWTU) is calling on Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat to investigate issues affecting workers at the Mora Valley Farm and the Sugarcane Feed Centre.
At a press conference on Wednesday at the union’s headquarters, Rienzi Complex, Couva, president general Nirvan Maharaj also called on Rambharat to bridge the communication gap between himself and the ministry’s permanent secretary.
He added: “We have written many letters to the government since 2012 and with the advent of the new Government we would have begun writing in October and then we had a meeting with the Minister in October.
“Ever since that meeting with the minister and the letters in October, there have been a failure on the part of the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture to not only address the issues with the minister but to actually respond to the union who represents these branches.”
Maharaj said there could be mass deaths of buffalypso (the Caribbean breed of water buffalo originating in T&T) at the Mora Valley Farm.
“We also have a major issue coming up where there is a possibility, because of a lack of action by the Ministry of Agriculture, you could have mass deaths of animals at the Mora Valley Farm.
“There are a 1,000 heads of buffalypso and there is a lack of food for these buffalypso. There is limited human resource to take care of these animals,” he said.
He outlined other issues facing the workers, saying: “We have a question of late subventions, late payment of wages and salaries, danger to employees, health and safety issues, outstanding back pay and lack of negotiations.”
Stating that T&T’s working class comprises agricultural workers as well, Maharaj called for an investigation by Rambharat.
“I want the minister to understand that the working class in T&T also consists of those people who are engaged in the agriculture sector, livestock and farming, research and development, especially at a time when you have a decline in the agricultural sector and we are looking at the diversification of the economy.
“We are calling on the Agricultural Minister to investigate not only the issues affecting these workers but also the lack of communication between yourself and the permanent secretary,” he added.
Maharaj said the union had also been told there was an attempt to undermine the two divisions by private citizens with business interests.
He added: “There seems to be a deliberate plot or conspiracy to undermine the Sugarcane Feed Centre and the Mora Valley and I am being informed, it is alleged, that there are private businessmen who are interested in getting hold of these farms, these huge acreage, thousands of animals.
“The union is very concerned about this. We are a legitimate body with legitimate recognition in these institutions and we are saying to the minister you cannot operate in a unilateral manner without first consulting with the union.”
He said if Rambharat failed to intervene, the union would take their plight to his office in Port-of-Spain.
The T&T Guardian contacted Rambharat and he responded via a WhatsApp message that read: “The union has brought the matters to my attention and I am arranging for a meeting between the union and the PS (permanent secretary) for next week.”