Caribbean Workers Unite !
We present and encourage progressive Caribbean views of Caribbean and world affairs.
We are not surprised that the
workers of Barbados in particular and the Caribbean in general, are being
accused of being “lazy” and basically non-productive. It is not unusual for
those who have built up fortunes on the backs of the workers, to unleash their
venom on the same workers. It demonstrates that the employer class in the
Caribbean is functioning as masters and is not interested in anything other
than their bottom lines.
The entire Caribbean was built on
the backs of cheap labour (slavery) and those who have inherited this wealth
believe it is their divine right. Unfortunately, the Black political managerial
class is so spineless, that it refuses to put the historical facts of our
development on the front burner of national discourse.
We note progressive citizens, who
entire mainstream politics, quickly distance themselves from their activist
platform and become consumed by petty party politics. This allows the
inheritors of the wealth to continue their focus on building financial empires
without being concerned with broad national development policy or goals.
Those who “have made it”, understandably, do
not want to rock the boat. The truth is that in terms of real poverty, the
poorest workers/people in the Caribbean are the descendants of slaves. This
means that Afro Caribbean citizens although the majority in places such as Barbados,
do not control the commanding heights of the economy. The current onslaught on
the workers and the unions is a direct effort, in our opinion, to exploit the
workers and eventually destroy the trade union movement. The current economic
health of the region is fertile ground for such machinations.
We maintain those earning wages
below $350. BDS. (175 USD) per week, are at the poverty level, taking into consideration
the cost of living in most Caribbean countries. Coupled with these low wages,
we still have many households without proper indoor plumbing facilities. In at
least one country, we are aware that some schools don’t have what are commonly
known as “water toilets”. This means some children have no access to a proper
health environment at home or school.
Furthermore there have been no
considerable efforts at progressive worker participation and the hopes of
economic enfranchisement have not materialized.
When we examine the above, the Mahogany
Coconut Group is obligated to speak the uncomfortable truth. Workers of the
Caribbean unite!
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