I wish to commend the Honourable Minister of Labour, Dr. Nanda Gopaul for taking to the stand and highlighting the several atrocities that took place during the Rodney Commission of Inquiry.

Gopaul has done well in recounting those painful days in our political life when the workers were harassed by the PNC regime and denied their basic and fundamental rights.
I have vivid memories of the days when all public servants were forced to participate in PNC-sponsored rallies and meetings. I recall one particular experience when I was a student of the Cyril Potter College of Education we were all compelled to participate in Labour Day rallies and to hold placards one of which read “No to Increase in Minimum Wage” at a time when workers were actually starving.
Except for a few trade unions such as GAWU and NAACIE all the other unions were “toothless poodles” and were actually in cahoots with the PNC regime to suppress the working class struggle.
The indignity of having to hold placards which were at variance with one’s conscience and convictions was just one of the numerous violations experienced by public service workers.

HYDAR ALLY