PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — The Trinidad and Tobago Government Monday welcomed the decision of public workers to blank a call by their union to participate in a “Day of Resistance”, saying the rejection was “especially welcomed in a period when the country’s productivity is being called into question”.

President of the Public Service Association (PSA) Watson Duke had called on public workers to assemble on the waterfront or stay home to show the Keith Rowley Government that came to office in September 2015 that they were dissatisfied with his Administration’s policies on a number of matters, including crime, politics and salary negotiations.

Public Administration and Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie, in a statement, said that public servants had ignored Duke’s call and turned out for work, adding there were no reports of any concern within the public service sector.

“This is especially welcomed in a period when the country’s productivity is being called into question and its reputation is at stake, especially as we seek to invite much-needed foreign investment. What is even more encouraging is that the attempted disruption was ignored despite its proximity to the Easter holiday-long weekend,” Cuffie added.

He said that the rejection of the PSA’s call to stay home is evidence the public service is slowly embracing the new culture of responsibility and productivity which is being promoted by the Government.

But Duke, speaking to reporters after just a handful of his members turned up for the protest, insisted that as much as 30 per cent of public servants adhered to the call.

“This is one of many lashes to come. We intend to speak out against every single thing that is holding public officers in a chokehold. This allows them from breathing normally. Right now the economy is closing in and it seems as though we cannot get out.

“The Government came with a big plan, stating equality for all, prosperity, talking about moving us out of this chaos, but in fact we have gone deeper,” Duke told reporters.

“We are saying this is the first effort we are making with our own hands to call out of this chaos the Government has placed us in,” he added.

Watson repeated statements about crime, the poor salaries for public servants, adding “the citizens of this country must not live in fear. “We need to have a conversation in this civil society with drivers of the economy,” he added.