By Spokesman Newsroom
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Monday 31st October 2022)-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 Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) Conference Room located at Taylor’s Range in Basseterre which saw the election of new and returning members making up the executive body of the workers’ 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, new comer 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 of the executive committee include Nadine Natta, Mitchel Slader, Eva Henderson, George Dixon, Stanley Franks Jr., Oscar Mills, Julian Morton and new comer 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 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 betterment of conditions in St.
Kitts-Nevis, or generally for the improvement of man”. He added: “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 posture.” 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.” Seven (7) longstanding members of the namely: President Sydney Bridgewater, Second Vice PresidentJames 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 retired union Member Ernest Wigley. Fraternal greetings were conveyed from General Secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda 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.
Front Page Image: Members of the newly-elected executive committee of the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union(Seated R-L)- Assistant General Secretary-Gwenedene Pemberton, General SecretaryPrecious Mills, President-Sydney Bridgewater, First Vice President Curtis Francis and Second Vice President-James Pemberton.
Standing (R-L) Sean Kelly, unionised member and conference delegate Elvis James (showing his support) Treasurer-Tanessa Caines Charles, Nadine Natta, George Dixon, Lloyd Rouse, Eva Henderson and Mitchel Slader (Spokesman Snap)
