Barbados Workers’ Union general secretary Senator Sir Roy Trotman reiterated on the floor of Parliament yesterday that he would not apologize now or in the future over his reference to an employer as an “Egyptian Jew”.
Speaking during yesterday’s pre-lunch Senate sitting, the Independent senator said his controversial remarks on May 1 were based on his concern for discrimination against Barbadian workers who were getting $800 a month from Diamonds International while others who could hardly speak or write English were making over $2 000 for the same period.
“I want to make it clear to everyone in this House that no apology was required, none was made, none will be made by me now or at any time. And anyone who has further concerns is free to continue to write in the Press,” said Sir Roy, adding that as far as he was concerned the matter was over.
Saying he had lost the love of some people as a result of his May Day comment, Sir Roy said while many in Barbados understood the need to protect employees’ rights, they preferred not to deal with the bigger issue because of short term objectives.
He added it grieved him that Barbadians sometimes got so carried away that they tended to lose the message, which in this case was the paramount protection of workers’ rights, particularly against the rising of a new breed of employer, like “a new Pharoah who knew not the goodness that came when Joseph saved Egypt” and whose priority was to cut off the trade unions and control the workers.
“This Bajan was concerned with discrimination against Bajans at work,” he said.
“We have to take care not to allow those who want so much to undermine the trade unions that they undermine the worker . . . . They are going to undermine the very economy which has been built by the blood, sweat and tears of the working man and woman at all levels. We must not allow Barbados to be so misguided.”
Sir Roy got support from Senate colleagues including Opposition Senator Kerrie Symmonds, Government Senator Reginald Hunte and Independent Senator Geoffrey Cave.
Symmonds charged the island was now confronted with an employer who did not hold dear to basic Barbadian norms.
“There are some people who come to our shores who are alien to our culture of democracy and, in fact, come here and dictate to Barbados in a manner which is repugnant to our justice,” he added.
Hunte, who suported the veteran trade unionist “100 per cent”, said “He has nothing to apologize for and if he can’t make comments on matters
in his country, where will he make them? Sir Roy has my wholehearted suppport.”
Cave said he had known Sir Roy from childhood and had sat with him in several industrial meetings, and stressed he had never known him to be racist.
“I do not consider the remarks he made to be racially oriented,” Cave noted.
Sir Roy said his reference to the geographical origin of the owner of Diamonds International could also have been dealt with in a more balanced way by the Press.
Speaking during debate on the Employment Rights Bill, 2012, he said the bill was long overdue and had been the result of much work since the 1980s, so there should be no reason why employers, political parties or anyone else should fear the bill, which was passed in the Lower House on Tuesday. (RJ/MB)
