标签： Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago’s trade union movement remains critically divided across three competing federations, fundamentally undermining worker protections and collective bargaining power. This institutional fragmentation has created a landscape where governments can strategically exploit internal divisions, leaving workers vulnerable to unfavorable settlements.

The historical roots of this disunity trace back to the movement’s earliest days, with pioneering leaders like Cipriani, Rienzi, and Butler initially mobilizing workers across vital sectors including oil, sugar, and transportation. However, the subsequent emergence of multiple federations revealed deep-seated challenges stemming from ideological differences, personality conflicts, and competing political allegiances.

Today, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisations (FITUN), the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM), and the National Trade Union Centre (NATUC) operate as separate entities with no union belonging to all three simultaneously. This institutional separation has created barriers to principled solidarity, with each federation guarding its independence at the expense of collective strength.

The consequences of this division became starkly evident during recent wage negotiations. The government’s four percent wage offer was accepted by individual unions rather than through unified federation leadership, with some unions justifying their position through legal arguments never properly tested. This fragmentation set a damaging precedent that weakened the movement’s credibility.

The subsequent ten percent settlement for public servants further exacerbated divisions, prompting other unions to seek similar treatment rather than reinforcing collective bargaining principles. This selective distribution of benefits has created inequities across the public sector, where compensation should reflect duties, responsibilities, and rising living costs.

Analysts observe that without a unified approach, the trade union movement cannot effectively defend workers’ interests. The current structure of three separate federations operating in isolation prevents the consistency and credibility that a single, cohesive organization could provide. What’s needed is leadership willing to project a collective voice rather than hiding behind independence as justification for division.

The ongoing fragmentation risks diminishing the relevance of trade unionism altogether as workers lose faith in divided leadership. Only when union leaders transcend their differences and embrace principled unity can the movement restore its credibility and protect workers from bearing the cost of choices they did not make.

Cultural Minister Michelle Benjamin faces mounting pressure to address the funding crisis threatening Trinidad’s steelband tradition, as revealed in a recent editorial published by Newsday. The scathing critique exposes what the author describes as corporate exploitation of Carnival celebrations without adequate financial support for the cultural foundations that make the festival possible.

The editorial, submitted by Gordon Laughlin via email, presents a compelling case against what he characterizes as corporate Trinidad’s imbalanced relationship with Carnival. According to the analysis, numerous commercial entities—including hotel chains, event promoters, tourism operators, chambers of commerce, and even energy corporations—significantly profit from the international attention and cultural capital generated by the festival. Despite this financial benefit, these organizations allegedly provide minimal support to the steelbands that create the musical backbone of Carnival celebrations.

Steelbands represent more than mere entertainment, the piece emphasizes. They constitute both the rhythmic heartbeat of Trinidad’s most famous cultural export and a historically significant musical innovation—the only instrument invented during the 20th century that has achieved global recognition. Despite this cultural importance, steelbands reportedly face persistent financial challenges, forced to assemble limited resources annually while corporate entities generate millions in revenue from Carnival-associated activities.

The editorial issues a direct appeal to the Ministry of Culture for immediate intervention, demanding the establishment of mandatory long-term sponsorship contracts for corporations benefiting from Carnival. The author argues that sustained financial commitment represents an essential requirement rather than an optional contribution, framing corporate support as an ethical obligation rather than charitable donation.

The piece concludes with an ultimatum for commercial entities: either provide substantial support to preserve Trinidad’s cultural heritage or relinquish their profitable association with Carnival. The criticism highlights growing concerns about cultural sustainability amid commercial exploitation, presenting a challenge for cultural authorities to balance economic interests with cultural preservation.

On December 5th, twenty-two years ago, Dr. Lester Philip experienced the profound silence that follows stillbirth—a moment when anticipated joy transformed into unimaginable sorrow. His son, envisioned as the ultimate Christmas gift, entered the world without breath or heartbeat, leaving behind dreams of birthdays, bedtime stories, and park walks that would never be realized.

In a deeply personal reflection, Philip compares grief to the loyalty of a bereaved dog that waits persistently for its departed owner—an image that captures the enduring nature of love beyond loss. He describes how specific locations—nursing homes, cemeteries, churches—trigger vivid recollections, demonstrating how memory persists despite societal pressures to ‘move on.’

The narrative draws parallels to cultural touchstones like the film Hachiko and the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son, illustrating unwavering devotion. After years of spiritual wrestling, Philip arrived at a transformative perspective: perhaps his son’s passing represented divine mercy rather than punishment—protection from future heartbreaks and worldly pain.

Though brief, Philip cherishes the moment he held his son’s perfectly still face. Through technological advancements facilitated by The Ohio State University, he has gained glimpses of what his child might have looked like growing up—an experience blending sadness with wonder.

Philip concludes with a message of solidarity for anyone experiencing loss, emphasizing that grief connects humanity while memories perpetuate love. Each December 5th, he expresses gratitude for the gift of fatherhood, however fleeting, recognizing that profound love can simultaneously break and heal the human heart.

A Central Trinidad man convicted for his involvement in a brutal 2000 kidnapping and robbery case has commenced his prison term after the Court of Appeal dismissed his challenge against conviction and sentence. Anderson Bonaparte, who remained on bail since August 2023 during appellate proceedings, was returned to custody on December 1 to serve his revised term of just over ten years, with credit applied for time previously spent in remand.

Bonaparte faced convictions in November 2022 for kidnapping, false imprisonment, and aggravated robbery stemming from the November 2000 incident. The trial had resulted in acquittals on rape and assault-with-intent-to-rob charges after then-High Court Judge Carla Brown-Antoine upheld a no-case submission on those counts.

In his appeal, Bonaparte contended through his attorney Peter Carter that the trial judge improperly directed the jury on offense elements, effectively usurping their deliberative function. He further challenged the admission of evidence regarding co-accused Owusu Williams’ guilty plea and claimed prejudice from jury exposure to dismissed charges.

The appellate panel comprising Justices Charmaine Pemberton, Gillian Lucky, and Vasheist Kokaram rejected all grounds. While identifying a sentencing calculation error that reduced Bonaparte’s penalties for false imprisonment and aggravated robbery by one year each, the court maintained the ten-year kidnapping sentence.

Justice Pemberton utilized the ruling to delineate judicial responsibilities, emphasizing that prosecutors must respect accused persons’ rights while defense counsel should vigorously challenge state evidence without compromising systemic integrity. The court specifically commended trial judge Brown-Antoine for her comprehensive jury directions.

The case originated from the abduction of a call center employee and two coworkers awaiting transport in Chaguaramas. While the coworkers escaped, the victim was forced into Bonaparte’s hired car at weapon-point by Williams and accomplices, blindfolded, transported to Central Trinidad where she was sexually assaulted by multiple perpetrators, and abandoned in Cunupia. Bonaparte’s girlfriend subsequently alerted police, leading to the victim’s rescue.

A staggering $80 million worth of pharmaceuticals intended for Trinidad and Tobago’s national healthcare system expired over a decade-long period while sitting in Ministry of Health storage facilities, raising serious concerns about accountability and systemic inefficiencies within the country’s medical supply chain.

The alarming revelation emerged during Monday’s sitting of Parliament’s Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC), where officials highlighted critical failures in drug management protocols. Committee members emphasized the urgent need for strengthened oversight mechanisms to protect public health resources and ensure taxpayer funds are properly utilized.

Hasmath Ali, Chief Chemist and Acting Director of the Ministry’s Chemistry Food and Drugs Division, acknowledged the severity of the situation while stressing the non-negotiable requirement for rigorous due diligence in pharmaceutical management. “Due diligence is required to ensure the safety of the population. In circumstances that relate to health, there is no argument from me on that,” Ali told committee members.

Independent Senator Dr. Marlene Attz expressed profound concern over the massive financial loss, questioning whether systemic “lethargy” throughout Trinidad’s healthcare infrastructure contributed to this accumulation of expired medications. She suggested incorporating laypersons into oversight committees to provide fresh perspectives and enhanced accountability measures.

Ali clarified that while the expired drugs fell under the responsibility of a separate procurement and distribution entity, the Ministry recognized the necessity of addressing these systemic shortcomings. In response to the crisis, officials revealed plans to modernize operations through legislative updates to the Food and Drugs Act and digitization of drug registration processes.

North Central Regional Health Authority CEO Davlin Thomas provided additional context, explaining that regional health authorities don’t control procurement decisions. “The issue is not with the procurement process itself, but with how these drugs are managed upon arrival and how they are distributed,” Thomas stated, emphasizing that demand-based procurement originates from public need rather than RHA recommendations.

An anonymous senior RHA official described persistent challenges in inventory management that contribute to pharmaceutical surpluses. The source cited difficulties in accurate forecasting, short decision-making timeframes, and consumption patterns that often differ significantly from procurement orders. Compounding these issues are staff shortages, procedural delays, and strict disposal policies that prevent repurposing drugs nearing expiration.

Despite these challenges, the official noted gradual improvements through enhanced training programs and stricter monitoring protocols, resulting in decreasing expiration rates in recent years.