TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Consultation on repealing a century-old law restricting the movement of workers in Trinidad and Tobago has turned into complaints from Public Servants seeking to move into the private sector.
There was unanimous agreement that the Foreign Labour Contracts Act, introduced in the early years of last century to stop workers leaving the country to work, should be removed from the statute books.
The meeting was told that the Act had not been enforced since 1945.
However, during the consultation, Minister for Labour, Jennifer Baptiste-Primus (pictured) sought to clarify the Government’s position on PS staff under contract who wanted to move to private sector companies.
One unnamed participant, who complained of not being allowed to leave his job in the public sector, suggested he was forced to stay because the Department had invested in his education.
“It’s like a trade secret; someone who has worked on the Government side cannot leave and go to the other side,” the worker said.
“There has to be some registration and controlled movement, balancing the rights of the various parties.”
This caused concern among some private stakeholders, who said it seemed like a form of slavery.
President of the Coalition of Services Industries, Lara Quentrall-Thomas said while workers should repay Ministries that invested in their education and training, there had to be an end-point.
“Are you are saying that you can never resign from the job once you have been trained? That’s madness,” Ms Quentrall-Thomas said.
“It’s unfortunate if they leave, but I think if that is the Public Service’s mentality then that is a bit worrying.”
Ms Baptiste-Primus said she wanted to bring some clarity to the debate.
“When a national of Trinidad and Tobago is granted a scholarship, they have to come back here to work for a period of time,” Ms Baptiste-Primus said.
“After that time of giving back — and that is really what it is — then that public officer is free to move wherever he chooses.”
She said the Public Service was not a slave camp.
Port of Spain, 2 April 2019
