The General Secretary of the National Trade Union Centre is urging citizens not to be fooled by government’s extension on it vaccinate mandate to public servants.
Public servants were facing a January 17 deadline to become vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus and failure to do so would have resulted in workers being furloughed.
However, during Saturday’s media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced an extension to February 17, as he said Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi was still in the process of finalising the policy changes.
NATUC’s Michael Annisette believes the one-month extension to allow public servants to become vaccinated, is an attempt by the State to buy itself some time to ensure the relevant legislation is in place so the authorities can act if and when workers refuse.
He said, “If you are to hang and they extend that hanging by one month, does that change what is to happen?
“Does that take away from the real issue facing workers of T&T where a government is saying if you are not vaccinated, you can lose your job, you will not be able to feed your family?”
Annisette said, “The reality is that nothing has changed and as a matter of fact, it has complicated the matter more because it is clear there is an agenda by this Government that speaks to marginalising people who have exercised their democratic rights in terms of COVID-19 and the evidence that is coming out daily.”
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