By LARA PICKFORD-GORDON
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – “WE must look good”. This was the message from Prime Minister Patrick Manning when he met with the National Trade Union Centre (Natuc) yesterday to discuss the upcoming Summit of the Americas.
Manning called the executive of Natuc, an umbrella organisation for 16 unions, to a meeting at his St Clair office and outlined Government’s broad policy objectives in relation to the Summit, international diplomacy and hemispheric affairs. “That was the recurring theme,” said Natuc second vice-president Rudy Indarsingh, following the meeting.
Third vice-president Robert Giuseppi interjected saying the PM stressed that “this country has to look good and all – press, trade union and business should ensure when this comes off, that TT is regarded as first class, not a first world but a first class nation”. Giuseppi said that at Natuc’s last executive meeting, a decision was taken to have outstanding union grouses with Government dealt with in-house during the Summit and, “we will continue our quarrels after the world body leaves”.
Giuseppi said there were serious matters to be addressed and some were raised at the meeting with Manning. But Giuseppi promised — after the Summit, when the PM’s head “is more clearer” the unions will resume, “jamming him on these matters”.
Giuseppi said the Natuc team wanted an assurance from Manning that labour would play an important role in the Summit. A Worker’s Forum, set for April 15 and 16, at the Cipriani College of Labour and Cooperative Studies, will host labour representatives from the Summit member states.
At this forum, labour representatives will speak on employment, the global financial and environment crisis.
The executive of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), which represents 45 million workers, will be in TT for this forum. Natuc as a member of TUCA wanted an assurance that government would provide assistance in allowing the use of the Cipriani College, which belongs to government.
