NORMAN DaCOSTA, a vice-president of the National Workers' Union (NWU), says he is standing by his statement that there will be social unrest if the government continues on its current economic path.
"I've no basis on which to withdraw the statement and I am even more convinced since Monday's demonstration by the taximen. It was not a political thing, a lot of these drivers are people who have lost their jobs," Mr. DaCosta told The Gleaner last Thursday.
He said he had been inundated with telephone calls from people supporting him since his statement appeared in The Gleaner on Monday. He said his union colleague who opposed his statement was "out of touch with the worsening economic plight of the working class" and advised him to abandon "apparent partisan political posturing."
In the article in last Monday's Gleaner, headlined "NWU warns of social unrest", Mr. DaCosta said he believed there would be social unrest among working-class Jamaicans, particularly those at the lower end of the economic ladder, if the government continued on its current economic path.
Against the background of recent increases in user fees, Mr. DaCosta said that if the government failed to address the needs of the average man it would be writing a "prescription for social unrest."
He said the national pie was shrinking while the Government continued to extract more and more from people without any plans being put in place to change the economic situation.
But, Vincent Morrison, the NWU island supervisor, said that the union which is affiliated to the governing People's National Party (PNP), dissociated itself from Mr. DaCosta's remarks.
He said that Mr. DaCosta had no authority to speak on behalf of the union, his position was not supported by the union and there would be a public rebuttal of his statement before the week ends.
Mr. DaCosta is the deputy island supervisor in charge of the bauxite-alumina workers, as well
as one of four
vice-presidents. Mr. Morrison is also a vice president, as well as island supervisor.
In a recent statement Mr. DaCosta said, "I made that comment based on past experiences and my assessment of the severe economic impact of increased taxation coupled with reduced purchasing power of the country's workers. Events subsequent to that statement provide testimony to my assessment.
"In a report, carried in The Gleaner dated January 8, 2002, one of my colleagues, Mr. Morrison, reportedly sought to dissociate the NWU and, by extension, its membership from my comments. This is a clear indication of the extent to which my colleague is out of touch with the worsening economic plight of the working class. My advice to him is to abandon his apparent partisan political posturing.
"What is quite clear is that the country is sending a signal that the pattern of frequent and excessive tax increases to finance diminishing returns cannot continue in perpetuity. There is a general feeling among Jamaicans that we have gone over the line from taxation as facilitator of public services and infrastructure to taxation as a form of oppression. The Government should take heed and enlist the involvement of the people, with a view to ensuring that policies are put in place that will stimulate investment, create growth and development and produce jobs.
"Jamaica has the human and material resources to succeed, but we must desist from squandering the opportunity to restore hope, rebuild pride and to create new prospects for progress," Mr. DaCosta responded yesterday.
