PRESS RELEASE – THE National Workers Union (NWU) says it has received an acknowledgement communication from Hon. Bradly Felix, Minister with responsibility for Commerce, Industry, Investment, Enterprise Development and Consumer Affairs.
The Minister’s response followed a request from the NWU to set up a small committee to deal with an intention by WINFRESH to import plastic crates from Miami for the local banana industry.
The union said in a statement that the Minister’s communication went on to state that “the matter will be given urgent attention immediately following the debate on the Appropriations Bill in the House of Assembly next week.”
The NWU says it has accepted that position.
Meanwhile, the NWU also says it is in possession of a statement from WINFRESH, a company owned by the Windward Islands government, charged with the responsibility of exporting bananas from the Windward Islands to Britain.
The statement revealed that WINFRESH has an intention to import plastic crates from the USA to export our fruit to Britain as a result of a request by the British supermarkets.
The NWU has described this explanation as a “commercial queek quack”.
The NWU says it “will not support an initiative that will guarantee jobs in Miami and create job losses in Saint Lucia, as well as frustrate our efforts in Saint Lucia to continue growing the manufacturing sector.”
It added, “If the world is going plastic crates, we must make a timely shift by setting up a small plant in Saint Lucia.”
The NWU will soon bring this matter to the International Transport Federation (ITF) based in England for a process of due diligence.
The NWU is an affiliate of the ITF.