In search of a win-win jackpot
AFTER hints and minor measures aimed at limiting their expanding scope, the Minister of Finance finally announced in the current budget his intention to close down the so-called casino industry in Trinidad and Tobago.
In that capacity, Prime Minister Manning announced that his Government would initiate a programme of retraining for the estimated 3,000 workers employed in the private members clubs. He had earlier itemised a list of negative outcomes which he said flowed from the preoccupation with gambling which he said was taking hold on some people in the society.
On and off during the last nine months since then, the issue of regularisation, phasing out or retraining of workers in this industry has claimed space and time on the national news agenda. A union was formed to represent the interests of the workers in this industry, expanded to include those in the State-operated lottery and lotto operations which the Prime Minister also announced would also be eventually phased out.
The owners and operators of the members clubs got together to press the Government for compelling reasons concerning its negative views on this industry. In the process, following the first set of meetings with Government representatives just after the budget presentation last October, they agreed there was room for improvement in the operations they run. They expressed a willingness to meet with the Government on effecting these improvements.
Adamant that they would not be closed down, at least not without a fight, the workers in the meantime have spared no effort to demonstrate that the livelihoods generated from this line of business were legitimate, substantial and worthy of protection.
But sensing that the Government was moving against them on the sly, with a proposed bill coming before Parliament, the workers have insisted in recent weeks that the matter be given the fullest public airing.
From the start of another round of meetings with Government representatives on Tuesday, the workers representatives now say they see "positive'' signs of a solution that could be amicable. This has to be viewed against the background that these workers have been against the idea of proposed retraining for employment in other unrelated and, to them, less lucrative fields.
The initial reaction from Monday's meeting with Minister Enill, therefore, suggests that an opening may have been found, and that a win-win outcome is indeed possible. Nothing can be more desirable than that. Both parties are urged, in these circumstances, to continue in this spirit of compromise, of give and take. |
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