The newly-formed Independent Fishermen Union of Trinidad and Tobago (IFUTT) has described the ban imposed on its president Robert Sagramsingh from Parliament following the disruption at Thursday’s sitting as a blow to democracy and is threatening legal action.
The ban was imposed on Sagramsingh and Maxine Gonzales, spokesperson of the Members Club and Lottery Worker Union, by the House Speaker after they disrupted the contribution of Minister in the Ministry of Finance Allyson West.
Sagramsingh and Gonzales, along with other fishermen and casino workers, were subsequently ejected from Parliament.
The statement last Friday night stated that the ban prevented Sagramsingh and Gonzales from accessing the Parliament Chamber, public gallery, media gallery and all other rooms in the parliamentary buildings used for committee meetings. The statement further stated that all police officers employed at Parliament are empowered
directly/indirectly and/or through the Office of the Marshall, to remove the, from Parliament precincts should they try to enter.
The order was issued in accordance with Section 6 (1) of the House of Representatives (powers and Privileges)
Act and Standing Order 123 of the House.
Responding to the ban in a statement IFUTT stated, “IFUTT finds offensive the position taken by the unelected President of the Senate in banning the president of the IFUTT, Robert Sagramsingh, from the Parliament. “ Stating that the increase in the fuel taxes has had a severely debilitating effect on the fishing community, he said no no consultations done with the stakeholders of the industry.
It further stated that several unsuccessful attempts were made by IFUTT to speak with “the incompetent minister of Agriculture Clarence Rambharat.
“In an off- the- cuff comment to the IFUTT the minister quipped that he didn’t know about the fuel increase and could do nothing about it. While the maxi taxis and taxis are simply prepared to increase fares and pass it along to an already over-taxed population, we the fishermen of Trinidad and Tobago are not prepared to do similar. IFUTT is not prepared to quietly accept and roll over to the Government destroying our lives without responding. “
The IFUTT further stated, has had no choice but to resort to lawful protests and demonstrations to hopefully get the attention of and audience with the Government.
The IFUTT said: “The unelected President of the Senate has dealt a blow to the democracy of the nation with this obscene ban on the fishing community.