Newly-elected National Trade Union Centre of T&T (NATUC) president general Watson Duke views Finance Minister Colm Imbert’s 2018 Budget as “primitive and punitive.” He also said the increase in diesel and super fuel will create “trouble on the horizon” for the Government.
Duke’s statement came hours after NATUC general secretary Michael Annisette warned Government that any decision to further decrease fuel subsidies would affect the working class and lead to an “avalanche” of protests.
Duke said the spike was something to “protest over” as he called on Joint Trade Union Movement president Ancel Roget to join in protest action.
“He (Roget) said last year if the Prime Minister were to raise gas prices then he would march. Gas prices have been raised. We are talking about my members, his members…the entire population is now faced with the choice of walking or riding. Taxi fares... every single thing is going to go up except your salary,” Duke said at a press conference at the Parliament building.
Duke said NATUC will discuss the matter with its members this week then hold a meeting with its federations.
Calling on labour leaders to form a united front to improve the salaries of the working class, Duke said it was time citizens get back their purchasing power, which began to dip in 2014.
Duke said did not see how cutting the fuel subsidy was an incentive to shift to cleaner and better fuel.
“This is what this Government is about, putting us back to the stone age and punishing us for no reason at all. What have we done? Why are we being punished like that? Is licks, after licks, after licks.”
Duke said NATUC had hoped for a budget where workers could have relaxed and be given some measure of ease and comfort.
“I categorise the budget as primitive and punitive. I use the word primitive because the budget is designed to take modern-day persons back to an era where they are forced to walk rather than drive their vehicles, given the sudden rise of gas and diesel.”
He said the budget will also not stimulate the economy but will stir the emotions of public servants and Tobagonians into anger.
“It creates mischief rather than solve problems.”