A new group, involving an Opposition Senator and a United National Congress political activist, and close to 100 workers marched around the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) yesterday demanding the removal of the Prime Minister.
The group, the Stakeholders Movement, had to be cautioned by police for using loudspeakers and road blocking. They were steadfast, braving midday rain and walked single file outside the St Clair office as Prime Minister Keith Rowley chaired his weekly Cabinet meeting.
On Wednesday, the organisation was granted permission to protest but it was not clear as to who the organisers were, but the participants were clear as to their purpose, demanding Rowley’s removal from public office.
UNC Senator Gerald Ramdeen who arrived at 11 am rallied protesters to begin marching in front the office along Gray Street.
However, they were asked to provide a copy of the permit to the police after they were advised to move the demonstration to St Clair Avenue as it had not been specifically stated that they were free to assemble on that particular street.
UNC activist Barrington Thomas was highly critical of the police attempts to break up the protest and disperse the demonstrators.
Addressing supporters around 1 pm, under the watchful eyes of police officers, Thomas said though they were given permission to assemble and also have a public announcement system, they had not been given permission to play it beyond the decibel level of a car radio.
Thomas said they would not be deterred from their primary purpose.
“PA system or no PA system, our call from our bellies and our voices is that the PNM must go and go now,” he said.
Pointing to the OPM building, he added: “Inside that place where they make wicked decisions to take away your food cards and take away your book grant and take away your milk for your children and take away your jobs and take away your freedom, if they think PA system or no PA system, we want to tell Rowley, Al-Rawi and that cabal in there that today is only the beginning.
“We will fight Rowley and his Cabinet till the last man is standing.”
The group had been granted permission to march from 11 am to 2 pm, just before the scheduled start time of yesterday’s post-Cabinet press briefing during which the Prime Minister spoke.
Among the protesters
Among the protesters was 80-year-old cane farmer Deolal Mohan of Chaguanas. He said he wished to highlight the plight of the 9,000 workers, like himself, who had been left with rotted tractors and other equipment and were still awaiting payments from Government.
Mohan demanded to know why monies released by the European Union since March had not yet been disbursed to the people for which it was intended.
The EU reportedly handed over $75 million to Government earlier this year.
The money was part of an agreement between Government and the EU as payment for former cane farmers after the closure of Caroni (1975) Ltd.
In April, Rowley said Government intended to pay out $52 million to the cane farmers as he claimed it had not been meant for the farmers but to reimburse the Government for money spent after the industry closed its pension plans and offered enhanced voluntary separation packages.
Secretary of the Port Retirees Pension Committee, Herman Hernandez, said they too were calling on government to settle outstanding debts.
He said agreements were reached last year with the previous administration just prior to the general election which halted further negotiations.
Hernandez claimed of the 900 members, some had already passed away as the majority of them were aged 65 and over.
Joking that the issue needed some “advertisement,” Hernandez hoped yesterday’s protest would bring some relief to their ongoing plight.
Forestry employee, Conrad Eccles, said it was a similar situation as hundreds of employees were still awaiting salary payments for the last five fortnights.
Committee member, Austin Vidal, denied the protest was politically motivated saying: “This is about people, mainly those on the lower social rung of the ladder, coming together who are disenchanted for a common cause.
“It is a movement of the people, for the people.”