BASSETERRE, St.Kitts: Under the theme ‘The Time To Rebuild Is Now’, delegates gathered at the 83rd annual conference of the St.Kitts-Nevis Trades & Labour Union on Sunday 30th October 2022 at the SWMC (Solid Waste Management Corporation) Conference Room located at Taylor’s Range in Basseterre which saw the election of new members and returning members making up the executive body for the workers’ representative organisation.
Elected officers President Sydney Bridgewater, Second Vice President James Pemberton, General Secretary Precious Mills and Treasurer -Tanessa Caines Charles have been returned to their positions. Additionally, newcomer Gwenedene Pemberton has been elected as the Assistant General Secretary; a post previously occupied by Curtis Francis who is now the newly-elected First Vice President.
Returning floor members include Nadine Natta, Mitchel Slader, Sean Kelly, Eva Henderson, George Dixon, Stanley Franks Jr., Oscar Mills, Julian Morton and newcomer Lloyd Rouse.
Elections were conducted during the afternoon business session.
President Bridgewater, in his address at the public session of the conference, outlined that the SKNT&LU remains relevant.
“Our Union remains quite relevant and often times it is the affected workers who can testify. This organization, however, needs workers to actively strengthen the vibrancy and publicity of what being part of a Union means to you. As this year’s conference theme rightly says ‘The Time To Rebuild Is Now!’ The beautiful thing about event themes is that we can all share our view and give our interpretation of what it applies to.”
Bridgewater referred to the Founder of the St.Kitts Workers League Thomas Manchester, who in an open letter to the people of St.Kitts and Nevis, said in part that the league was formed for the purpose as embodied in the words of our motto: “For The Good That We Can Do”. At the outset, it was decided that as a body we should associate ourselves with any movement that tends for the betterment of conditions in St.Kitts-Nevis, or generally for the improvement of man.”
He added further from the letter: “As the history books would recall, ‘Mr. Tom’ as he was called, had established the St. Kitts Workers’ League Ltd. and was elected it first President in 1932 at a time when only the most able men would dare to be involved in associations devoted to the upliftment of workers in the field or the factory or organisations which adopted the anti-colonial era.”
In wrapping up his remarks, Bridgewater commented: “Workers, social partners, ladies and gentleman and all other alike friendly to the upliftment of workers, historically a solid foundation has been set for the building of an environment which sees about the advancement and welfare of workers, the working environment. Let us rebuild together, now! The future is in our hands.”
The 2022 guest speaker was 22-year-old Roberitine Webbe, Director of Creative Economy in the Ministry of Culture and who is also a professional dancer. Her topic was ‘Creatives Are Workers!’
Seven (7) longstanding members of the namely: President Sydney Bridgewater, Second Vice President James Pemberton, Eva Henderson, George Dixon, Mitchel Slader and Stanley Franks Jr. “For unwavering service and dedication to the St.Kitts -Nevis Trades & Labour union over the years.”
There are plans to also honour another longstanding union retiree member Ernest Wigley.
Fraternal greetings at the opening session were conveyed from General Secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Trades and Labour Union Alrick Daniel, Leader of the St.Kitts-Nevis Labour Party and Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew (who gave remarks in person), Dean of Labour Studies at the Cipriani College of Labour and Cooperative Studies in Trinidad and Tobago Ian Daniel, the President of the Jamaica Household Workers Union and Executive Member of the International Domestic Workers’ Federation (IDWF) Shirley Pryce.
Among others in attendance were members of the diplomatic corps namely Taiwan Ambassador Michael Lin, Cuban Ambassador David Rivero and First Secretary Rueben Mogollon from the Embassy of Venezuela. An officer from the Department of Labour Astric Wyatt-Archibald was also present.