The Needs of the Many

Dear Editor,

The recent actions of Public Services Association (PSA) president Watson Duke can only be considered as selfish, “backward thinking” and to some extent illegal. Contrary to the decision of the Industrial Court, Mr Duke “called out and/or instructed staff employed at the Immigration Department at Frederick St, Port of Spain, and San Fernando to sign in and leave their jobs without working and by telling them that the office is shut down until whenever.”

The shut-down of the passport offices has caused tremendous dis­tress and inconvenience for the pub­lic, particularly at a time when vacation travel requires the Immigration Department to function at an optimum level. While there may be a legitimate concern regarding the state of the infrastructure, the services these offices provide are vital and the actions taken by Mr Duke virtually hold the country to ransom.

Apart from literally shutting down the offices operations, his actions are in contempt and abetting the breach of the court order. As a society and country that seeks higher developmental status, it should never simply be about the needs of a few, but always about the needs of the many. There are alternative solutions to upgrading facilities without “shutting down”. Mr Duke, while your intentions are seemingly in favour of the public servants, how about providing some recommendations toward a mutually beneficial solution, instead of your usual “shut-down” approach.

Peter Thomas

via email