Dionne Rose/ Damion Mitchell, Staff Reporters
ROBERTSON
MINISTER OF Development Dr. Paul Robertson has dismissed claims by union representatives that the Government was reluctant to commence talks with them on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), also called the Manley Accord.
The minister also announced that he had written to the signatories requesting their views on further reviews of the MoU.
The Manley Accord was signed between the Government, the Bauxite Industry, and unions representing employees in the bauxite sector, to promote productivity and cohesion within the industry.
Dr. Robertson made the announcement while making his contribution to the 2005/06 Sectoral Debate in Gordon House on Tuesday.
Under the Accord, quarterly reviews were to be held between the signatories to the MoU, but since 2002, when the Government was scheduled to host a review meeting, there have been no such discussions.
"There are some persons who are uncomfortable, they feel that the Government is dragging its feet with respect to this, and I just want to say that is not the case," he said. " I want to assure my colleagues on both sides who have union representation and affiliation that we plan to continue to work with you in this matter."
The development minister said he would be writing to the unions requesting further evaluations of the MoU.
"I wrote last year to the other parties requesting evaluation of the operation of the various elements of the MoU and their views on the way forward," he said.
"The response so far has been disappointing and so I have today written again urging the partners to submit their responses so that the review process can proceed," he said.
But, according to Vice President of the National Workers Union, Norman DaCosta, several efforts were made to have the meetings resumed without success, including a request for the prime minister's intervention.
He also criticised Dr. Robertson's insistence for a written submission from the unions.
"I am not against written submissions, but at a time where we have a number of new players in the bauxite industry ... (and) at a time where we are having significant changes in the global market ... the Minister is saying he needs written submissions, written submissions about what?"
He said it is the Government's time to host the review of the MoU and underscore the importance of convening a meeting to review the MoU.
