I refer to Page A18 of the T&T Guardian on April 7, 2016 in an article by Kevon Felmine titled “Worry over mid-term tax increase casino workers fearful of job loses” in which Mr Joshua Johnson, assistant secretary of the Union of Members Club and Lottery Workers is reported to have said “Members felt like the Government and some citizens discriminate against the gaming industry and were not taking their concerns seriously.”
He said letters requesting meetings were sent to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Finance Minister Colm Imbert and Labour Minister Baptiste-Primus but no one responded. As a result, the rank of file of the union is upset and calling for “loud protest.”
I wish to state that a letter was in fact received by the office of the minister on March 23, 2016 from the Union of Members Club and Lottery Workers (UMCLW) signed by its president, Mr Kenroy Phillip. However, the letter carried no date, no address and no contact number.
In light of the foregoing, there was no way in which the Minister could have forwarded this information to Mr Philip although the minister indicated that she is available to meet the UMCLW on Monday, April 11, 2016 at 2.30 pm.
As such, the information given to your reporter Mr Kevon Felmine is completely inaccurate. Notwithstanding, please convey to the Union of Members Club and Lottery Workers the Minister’s willingness to meet with them as aforestated.
Bobbi Jeffrey,
Manager Corporate Communications,
Ministry of Labour and Small Enterprise Development