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From left: NUPW General Secretary, Roslyn Smith; along with President, Akanni McDowall; and Delcia Burke, Deputy General Secretary.

NUPW against privatising SSA

 

THE National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) has promised to resist any attempts by Government to privatise the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA).
 
The union’s General Secretary, Ms. Roslyn Smith, told a news conference yesterday that the SSA workers feel betrayed by the Government’s action to contract five waste haulers starting on Monday, to collect garbage. She said that the SSA workers have been held in high esteem since they have worked hard with what little the Government has provided. 
 
“We are adamant that there will be no privatisation of the SSA and the Barbados Water Authority (BWA),” she declared.
 
Smith reasoned that privatisation of the SSA will mean Barbadians will have to pay for their garbage collections while 800 SSA employees will be displaced.
 
“We cannot allow that because it would be a burden to them and their families. We cannot afford to let greed take over. There is no human face involved,” Smith declared, while noting that the NUPW will strictly defend the workers’ interest.
 
The union has called a meeting of SSA employees for next Tuesday (October 11) to determine the next course of action.
 
 She told the media that funds outlined in the Government’s budget ought to be put to use by buying the new trucks, which the SSA badly requires.
 
“It makes no sense taking the cream off and giving it to the private sector.”

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