No Vaccine, No Pay! Trinidad and Tobago’s move to authoritarianism

BY STEVEN KASZAB

The Rowley government shut down all but essential public services in December. A directive has been issued stating that all public employees must be vaccinated if they wish to receive their earned pay. The government has advertised that public servants who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 will be furloughed. Yes, the Rowley government has given their employees the choice of keeping their employment if they are vaccinated, or no employment without the vaccination. Those who cannot return to work, due to this vaccination mandate, will not be paid.

The National Trade Union Centre (Natuc) encouraged their members to show up at work and register. If an employee is not allowed to do their job, it is an offence against their legal contractual rights as an employee and union member, and such an act can be viewed as constructive dismissal.

The Rowley government is playing loose and underhandedly with the Energy Portfolio also. The National Resource Fund Legislation has come under the direct control of the PMO and Minister Rowley. This transition from an objective, nonpartisan committee to the direct control of the Prime Minister is putting the control of this Islands future in jeopardy.

The promised wealth of Trinidad and Tobago’s natural resources has fallen into politician’s hands. Look out for the many lobbyists from the energy and development sectors already to pay a pretty penny to these politicians with open hands and offshore accounts. Many thousands of oil workers are stranded in a vortex of uncertainty while their firms decide whether they will continue drilling for oil or are on standby while corporate giants compete for these firms’ future ownerships. The National Gas Company’s 30,000 employee’s future depends upon it.

Trinidad and Tobago has fallen into a more centralized authoritarian time set, where the rights of individual employees mean little to the grander scheme devised by the government and large corporations. The vaccine protocols can be applied without forcing individuals to become vaccinated. Mass vaccinations were offered in mid December, at the same time the vaccine directive was pushed through governmental agencies. The government has seen the opportunity to consolidate its power and influence over its citizens. This health crisis has created fear and chaos throughout the Caribbean, and as we all know when chaos and fear reign, great opportunities to take advantage of the situation open up to those in power.