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Message on Labour Day 2024

Jun 19, 2024

Message on Labour Day 2024

On June 19, 1937, the police tried to arrest Tubal Uriah Butler while he was making a speech to workers at Fyzabad. His followers resisted his arrest, and riots broke out. The underlying causes of the riots were unfair and unjust labour practices. The unrest which they caused was the impetus for the formation of the trade union movement and the improvement of labour relations in the years to come.

On Labour Day, we commemorate the struggles which have led to better and fairer working conditions for all. We pay tribute to the courageous men and women whose sacrifices made possible the rights and freedoms enjoyed by workers today. We recognise the long and the arduous battles to secure fair pay and decent working conditions, and we acknowledge the progress that has been made in that regard.

We also acknowledge, however, that although the labour landscape is much improved since 1937, much more remains to be done. We have much further to travel if we are to arrive at our goal of a brighter, more equitable future in the world of work.

For trade unions and similar bodies, who continue the work set in motion by Butler and his contemporaries, there is the need to contend with ever-evolving labour practices and new challenges to their traditional methods of operation. Automation, technological advancements, the Covid-19 pandemic, and Artificial Intelligence, among other developments, compel unions to rethink their approaches and to adapt, in order to ensure that they continue effectively to contribute in a constantly changing labour environment.

For employers, the task is no less challenging. They must also do their part. Employers must understand that true progress lies not in drawing bright, dividing lines between themselves and workers (and the organizations that represent workers). Rather, true progress lies in recognizing that employees and their representatives are partners on the same journey to better and more efficiently run businesses. Employers must recognize that safe, responsive and fair working conditions and environments increase productivity, which in turn redounds to the benefit of both partners in the employment relationship.

Even while we call on labour and employers to collaborate more closely, the wider society, too, has a role to play. That role is to establish the broader conditions to promote such collaboration. What this means is that each of us, in our interactions with one another, need to be more flexible, more tolerant, more open to new ways of seeing and doing things, and more accepting of our different perspectives. We cannot demand of labour and employers, that which we do not practise ourselves.

Let us therefore commit as a society, to becoming more understanding and accommodating of one another. Let us commit to building the broader environment that will cause labour and employers to collaborate even more effectively, and that will cause our nation to thrive. If we apply ourselves, we can and we will be successful in navigating the challenges that face us. We will emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.

I extend sincere wishes to the nation for a safe, productive and peaceful Labour Day.

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Farewell Courtesy Visit by His Excellency Gerhard Doujak, Ambassador of AustriaToday, Friday April 25, 2025, Her Excellency Christine Carla Kangaloo ORTT, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, graciously received His Excellency Gerhard Doujak, Ambassador of Austria, on his farewell courtesy visit. His Excellency Gerhard Doujak has served in this esteemed role since June 2022, when he presented his Letters of Credence.Her Excellency Christine Carla Kangaloo ORTT, expressed her heartfelt thanks to Ambassador Doujak for his dedicated service and extended best wishes for his future endeavors. ... See MoreSee Less

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Their Excellencies extend condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis🕊️ Their Excellencies, Christine Carla Kangaloo, ORTT President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Kerwyn Garcia SC, First Gentleman, join the international community in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis and extends deepest condolence to all within the Vatican. Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, was a voice for the voiceless and a tireless advocate for peace and understanding. His leadership reshaped the modern Catholic Church, reaching beyond its walls to address critical issues such as poverty, climate change, and human dignity.We in Trinidad and Tobago extend our deepest sympathies to the global Catholic family and the Vatican. May his legacy of love, humility, and service continue to inspire generations to come.May he rest in eternal peace. 🕯️#PopeFrancis #restinpeace #trinidadandtobago #officeofthepresidenttPhoto Courtesy Vatican News ... See MoreSee Less

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Message from Her Excellency Christine Carla Kangaloo ORTT, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobagoon the Occasion of Easter 2025Fellow Citizens,Today, the national community joins our Christian brothers and sisters in celebrating the festival of Easter - the most significant festival in the Christian calendar. In the lead up to Easter, Christians observe Good Friday, the day that Christ died. On the human level, Christ’s death must have bought unspeakable despair and paralysing confusion to His followers at that time. It must have seemed to them, that all hope had been lost – that all of their dreams had been swallowed up by the grave. They must have felt utterly dejected and disheartened. What Christ’s followers felt at that time, might well not be different from what many of us feel in our lives today, from time to time. Oftentimes, we feel overwhelmed by sorrow; we feel crushed by despair. Yet, after the anguish and the hopelessness that gripped Christ’s followers on Good Friday, Easter came. And, on that first Easter morning, those of His followers who had managed to hang on to hope, experienced the full realization of their faith and were able to participate in the most profound joy imaginable: the joy of resurrection – of rebirth and of new life.The Christian journey of Easter – the journey from the depths of sorrow to the heights of joy – is a reflection of the journey of every human being. It is the story of walking through the darkness, knowing and believing that there will be light at the end of it all. This Easter, as we celebrate with our families and our loved ones, let us reflect on the festival’s central theme, which speaks to the very heart of the human experience - the triumph of life over death, of joy over sorrow, and of hope over despair. Christ’s victory over the grave reaffirms to all of us that, in the face of loss, uncertainty and despair, there is the power of renewal and restoration, and with it, the promise of salvation and transformation for all of humanity. Let us, on the individual level, commit to doing everything we can to generate, in our own lives, a resurrection and a renewal of purpose, spirit and resolve. Let us participate fully in the Easter experience, by embracing that fundamental truth about the human condition - that even in our darkest moments, there is hope, and there is always the promise of a new beginning. Let us each rise to the challenge to be active participants in our own renewal—to find strength in adversity, joy in hardship, hope in despair and unity amid division. On the national level, let us embrace the Easter teaching that, if we are to rise to the challenges of our time, we cannot turn away from our problems in despair. Let us instead commit to staying the course - to walking through the pain of our Good Fridays, and to embracing and adopting new attitudes and ways of thinking in order to bring about the transformation and rebirth we desire. Let us come to the realization that it is only if we do not give up, that we, as a nation, will come to experience the most profound joy imaginable: the joy of a nation filled with its brethren dwelling together in unity and in love.I extend to the Christian and to the national community best wishes for a joyous and holy Easter.#hope #faith #joy #HappyEaster2025 #officeofthepresidentt ... See MoreSee Less

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