Trinidad & Tobago Govt must work to generate jobs not fire employees: Minority Leader Kelvin Morris

Port of Spain: Minority Leader Kelvin Morris expressed his concern over the information of termination of contracts within the Tobago House of Assembly, as earlier this week only, it was confirmed that employees from the monitoring and evaluation unit, Division of Infrastructure, Quarries and Urban Renewal had been fired. Chief Secretary Farley Augustine provided the confirmation report.  

Morris asserted, “Being one of the members of the Minority, we are of the opinion that the focus of Trinidad and Tobago administration should be on creating more jobs rather than job termination, particularly during these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, where economic hardship has overtaken our society. We have acquired several phone calls from Tobagonians employed with the Tobago House of Assembly, expressing concerns about the termination of their employment and non-renewal of their contract employment at various Divisions.” 

Although, as per the statement issued by the government, the employees have been terminated due to their incompetency for the job, noting they aren’t suitable for the job. 

“It is very unfortunate as well as disheartening for us to see that the new administration’s strategic goals contain the termination of employment of single parents, many of whom are already burdened with bread and butter challenges poured by the onset of the novel coronavirus outbreak”, he further added.  

Apart from this, making an appeal to the administration of Trinidad and Tobago, Morris cited that, “It is in this context that the Minority Leader along with the Minority Councillor is doing an appeal to the current Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley led-administration to show some compassion and care in alleviating the numerous fears of our fellow Tobago brothers and sisters since we all agree in the mantra that is ‘people before politics”.  

Moreover, the general public has also expressed their concern over the same, standing in support of the minister. One of the social media users commented, “Sadly, very sadly, many citizens do not understand politics, and so they vote parties in that create policies that hurt these same people who put them in power. However, this unfairness must be addressed”.