Welcome, Comrade Toni Moore

-
The Caribbean Is One Nation.

                                                   Welcome, Comrade Toni Moore


Toni Moore
The Mahogany Coconut Group welcomes the new General Secretary of the powerful Barbados Workers Union (BWU), Comrade Toni Moore. She is the first woman to head what is probably one of the best organized workers unions throughout the Caribbean. It is a tribute to the Barbadian women, who have always been in the struggle for the betterment of the working class. Our faith in the younger Caribbean generation is fortified by Comrade Moore’s elevation at the young age of thirty eight.
Comrade Moore takes over the union at a time when the workers in Barbados are under tremendous pressure as the government’s austerity program becomes more intensified and far reaching. The Transport Board, and other government statutory boards, have suffered from widespread retrenchment and the unions, in many cases have not been as vigilant, as we would have wanted them to be in fighting government on behalf of their members. Many workers of the BWU believe they have been betrayed by their leadership and have speared no effort in publicly accusing the BWU and other unions of dropping the ball.
Her task will be to reignite that spirit of activism that has fallen so badly and we hope that she quickly demonstrates a desire to carry the fight to both the public and private sector employers. We are aware that her predecessor, Sir Roy Trotman, has left some issues on the table which she must address with great speed. We speak of the current Employment Rights Bill that employers have been exploiting because of loop holes. Comrade Moore should also move quickly to mend all fences in the Social Partnership if it is to become any worthwhile factor in the social and economic development of the country.
To put it mildly her “plate is full” and she cannot afford the traditional honeymoon. The pleasantries will be short and we hope that her preparation for this task has been comprehensive enough not only   to make the transition from Sir Roy   smooth but effective on behalf of the membership of the BWU.
As Sir Roy retires we consider him a progressive force and believe strongly that he did the very best he could during his long stewardship. We also believe that sometimes his well known penchant for diplomacy might have trumped his being a trade unionist. And while we recognize that diplomacy is vital in public discourse and leadership, we also realize it is often wasted on those who have no respect for the union or the workers. We therefore suggest that activism and not diplomacy is still the better tool in fighting for workers rights in Barbados and indeed the Caribbean.
We wish Sir Roy all the best.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Education Reform

-
One Caribbean Nation. It is extremely difficult to believe that we are incapable of solving current challenges relating to crime and other acts of social deviancy. Our culture remains the foundation of our development. It has undergone tremendous change, both for the better and the worst, during the last four decades. However, we remain a society that still demonstrates some virtues of basic decency toward each other but we   have failed to recognize that culture must be maintained, instilled and explained to our citizens. We cannot continue to ignore the depth of cultural penetration , as we sought socio economic development during the post-independence period. To address this , we must seriously examine our education system . The present raging debate regarding the transformation of the system clearly shows we want change but also expect to cling to the status quo ; this creates a perfect   recipe for confusion. The current method of transferring children from the pr...
Read more

Brasstacks Moderators Should Respect all Callers and Views

-
Image
                                                                   Letter from Brooklyn Walter Blackman Tucker Carlson                                                                                Michael Headley    By Michael Headley On a daily basis, I, like many other listeners, enjoy listening to VOB''s Getting Down to Brass tacks.  On any given day the talk show can be entertaining, funny, educational, informative or controversial, as callers voice their differing opinions on various topics.  And most Moderators allow for spirited give-and-take, to enlighten the listening audience.  ...
Read more

Abolish 11 - Plus

-
One Caribbean Nation. ‘Abolish 11-Plus’: VETERAN EDUCATOR ADAMS SLAMS ‘EXAM INEQUALITY’ By Sheria Brathwaite Former senator and retired principal Alwyn Adams on Friday reignited calls to scrap the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination, commonly known as the 11-Plus, describing it as an outdated relic of educational segregation that stifles the potential of the working class. While delivering the keynote address at Speech Day of St Leonard's Boys' Secondary School where he was once principal, Adams criticised the island's education system, declaring that it was failing the people and urgently needed reform. Repeating a call made two years ago, he argued that the common entrance examination is an antiquated mechanism designed to limit the academic advancement of Barbados' working class and perpetuate educational segregation. He said then that with Barbados having transitioned to a republic, the country ought to get rid of the current educational system which he...
Read more