Love in the Time of Politics

The Prime Minister has accepted the Unified Trade Union Movement's invitation to walk with them on Labour Day.
As Utopian as this momentous event may appear, it sends the wrong message to the entire National Community and sets everyone up for disagreement, confusion and disappointment down the road.

Why?

Because in these circumstances, if both of them agree, one of them is unnecessary.
The Trade Union's ONLY reason for existence is to fight Management (in this case the Government of Trinidad & Tobago), for higher wages and better working conditions for workers.
On the flip-side, The Government (through its appointed Board) is bound to its shareholders (read here the People of Trinidad & Tobago) to deliver the largest profit possible to pay dividends (in this case to the Consolidated Fund of the Treasury), and to put aside resources for a rainy day, as in the Stabilization Fund (a mechanism set up to insulate the domestic economy from fluctuations in price and other negative impacts on the Petrochemical Industry) by whatever means necessary, morally ethical and legal.

This is basic economics and it should not have to be spelled out here, but it appears that we are on some crazy head trip now that Manning is no longer in power and all the old rules no longer apply. You cant break down every wall without consequence, some walls serve a purpose.

From sugar to cocoa to oil and gas, from colony and slavery, to freedom and independence, this country has always been a labor intensive business. The Government, in its role as Management, has to also be mindful of its role as steward of the economy.

Forget the profitability of the State owned businesses for a while, any move up the salary scale in the Public sector will cause a similar response in the Private Sector.
Private Companies will see an immediate response in their wage bill (if they are to retain their labor force), which in turn will raise production costs, spur inflation in the short term, and reduce any competitive advantage we now enjoy to the detriment of the economy as a whole through the downsizing of Private Sector Industry, loss of jobs and economic contraction.

This is where the love ends.

After you marginalize the Unions, what happens when we no longer agree? What new mechanism will represent the people when they disagree with the Government?

In her bid to be the All Inclusive Prime Minister, Mrs. Bissessar is squandering her moment in history. This country does not need a friend, it needs a leader.

How far are we prepared to go with this?

If the People's Partnership is the new Zenith of our politics, then I suggest we get the PNM to join up as well, close down Parliament and decide everything within the confines of the Cabinet.

That this sort of politics takes the power away from the people and concentrates it in the hands of the few should be obvious, but the obvious is never seen by us when we are on the way to becoming our own enemy.

Something to think about....