BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, December 5th 2009 (PAM Secretariat) – People’s Action Movement Constituency Two representative Roy Fleming has issued a passionate appeal for Government to respect workers of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis.
Fleming pointed out that while Government continues to complain about being affected by the world’s financial crisis, workers are being disrespected in many ways. He said Government should understand that workers play a key and pivotal role in executing Government’s plans, programmes and initiatives, thus respect at all levels is very important.
Fleming also noted that understanding the vulnerable groups among, including single parents, is also of critical importance. Fleming said that he would like the Government, along with every politician, to commit towards demonstrating respect for the workers. “We must recognize that workers play a key and critical role within the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, and we within PAM would like every politician to understand that respect at all levels should be shown to our Federation’s workforce,” he said.
Fleming opined that improving working and other conditions for workers while ensuring they could begin to receive the numerous benefits, which the Labour Government had promised them several years now, are pertinent.
“We have seen whereby the Labour Party continues to play on the emotions of workers, promising them this and that without delivering any of these promises. As such, we strongly believe that the time has come for these promises to be delivered, as no more would workers in this Federation be used for political gains,” Fleming declared.
The PAM representative also noted that Government needs to implement effective and efficient programmes for the development of the Federation’s workforce. Fleming reiterated his call for Government to immediately cease what he said has been their discriminatory and victimizing approach, noting that a number of persons continue to complain about being discriminated and victimized the administration.
“When a Government is elected to office, its primary responsibility is to look at the affairs of all and not to just serve some of the people but all of the people, and we within the People’s Action Movement wants this Government to stop victimizing and discriminating against those that Government feels are not on the same political platform,” Fleming said.
Fleming reiterated his party’s position that under a PAM Government there would be no discrimination or victimization, stressing that the Federation needs a government that is committed and dedicated towards bringing about holistic and national development and not creating division and inflicting spite on anyone.
“We remain committed to ensuring that the issues of discrimination and victimization are properly addressed while we will seek to protect the rights of workers in this Federation,” he said.
He said that the Labourt Ministry should immediately seek to address the many shortcomings in human resources in respect to wages, upgrade of facilities and the creation of equal opportunities for all irrespective of their political persuasions.
Fleming said that he would continue to appeal to Government to address the many issues that continue to affect workers, noting that failure to ensure proper systems and programmes are in place to help the Federation’s workforce would continue to lead to a number of challenges. He added that Government has to understand that its current approach is destroying the Federation’s workforce.
