Article Image Alt Text

St. George South Member of Parliament, Dwight Sutherland.

Sutherland condemns Government’s treatment of trade unions

THE Barbados Government needs to recognise the importance of the Trade Union movement.

This is the view of St. George South Member of Parliament, Dwight Sutherland, who spoke with The Barbados Advocate from the grounds of Queen’s Park on Monday, following his participation in the joint trade union-private sector march.

Sutherland declared, “I have been saying over the past three years that the Government has to recognise the importance of the Trade Union movement in this country. When you begin to treat your Social Partners and key stakeholders in a country like second-class citizens, then clearly, what I would say in Bajan terms, ‘You’ve missed the boat.’”

“I have said on numerous occasions that the unions were formed to improve the working conditions for people in this country and we recognise back in the 1930s and 1940s, that there could be no national development without improving the conditions of the working class people. And as we move through the decades, there are certain things that we have to continue to improve.

“But we continue to treat workers badly, not giving workers arrears, referring to union leaders as fanatics armed with guns. That’s blatant disrespect,” he maintained.

In relation to the actual march and the alliance seen between the private sector and the unions, Sutherland suggested that the day’s events suggested that Barbadians on a whole are fed up with how Government is handling the business of the country.

“This day’s event is a culmination of issues from way back in 2010 and year by year, you see them increasing,” he suggested.

“Let’s look at a marriage. We don’t just wake up one day and say we want a divorce. There are a series of events that lead up to the final threshold or the final breaking point and I think the citizens of this country have reached that final breaking point and the Government has a right to recognise that this might be 1991 all over,” he continued.

“And the Prime Minister in my view should come to the country and say, ‘I am sorry for the way I have treated you. I am sorry for the way I have misrepresented you, let us move forward from here.’ That is what a decent prime minister or leader would do at this time,” he commented.

He meanwhile encouraged the Trade Union movement to keep representing the workers, noting that they are doing a good job. (RSM)

Barbados Advocate

Mailing Address:
Advocate Publishers (2000) Inc
Fontabelle, St. Michael, Barbados

Phone: (246) 467-2000
Fax: (246) 434-2020 / (246) 434-1000