By SEAN DOUGLAS Saturday, February 6 2010

THE Opposition yesterday agreed to a request by Public Services Association (PSA) president Watson Duke for a PSA official to sit as a temporary Opposition Senator in next week’s parliamentary debate on the bill to set up the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority (TTRA).

Chaguanas MP Jack Warner chaired a meeting between the Opposition and the PSA in a committee room at the Red House during the parliamentary tea break. He stood in for UNC political leader and Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar who missed the meeting after being injured in a fall in the Parliament.

Warner grimly muttered that the Government was bringing such a controversial bill in the midst of Carnival.

Oropouche East MP, Dr Roodal Moonilal, said the Opposition had raised the TTRA matter in Parliament last session, in a motion on the adjournment regarding the loss of employment of Ministry of Finance staff.

Moonilal said the Opposition wants to meet the PSA on Monday ahead of the parliamentary debate on Wednesday.

Duke said he hoped the Opposition would fight the bill which he described as “anti-worker”. Mayaro MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters asked if the PSA had met Independent Senator Michael Annisette, himself a trade unionist. Duke said they had and Annisette’s main concern was whether or not the TTRA recognises the union, while the PSA’s main woe was the job security of union members.

Moonilal vowed to raise the TTRA issue in Parliament, including whether the PSA’s current recognition could be transferred to the TTRA.

He added, “We want to commit ourselves to joining you on the picket line”. Warner too vowed to join protestors on picket-lines whether rain or sun.

He said a small committee from each of the Opposition and the PSA would meet on Monday.

Duke met the Opposition MPs, at about 4.30 pm, hours after a midday march by workers of the Board of Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise Division, culminating their week-long lunch time protests.

Duke announced he had been informed of plans for his arrest.

Speaking to workers at the Brian Lara Promenade, Port-of-Spain, a defiant Duke said, “Let them lock me up and they will see what will happen.” Duke encouraged the workers to keep up the march because they will emerge winners. An official of the National Trade Union Centre disclosed he had learnt of plans for Duke to be arrested. The workers responded with shouts of “no”. He called attention to the noticeable absence of certain unions in the PSA’s lobby against the TTRA. The official disclosed he had been contacted by five union leaders who advised him to tell Duke to “behave himself”.

The executive of the PSA last Thursday met with staff based in San Fernando who were eager to join the protest in Port-of-Spain. PSA general secretary Oral Saunders said momentum was being built and on Wednesday all workers across the country will be coming to Port-of-Spain to “de- stress” and take a walk.