Marvin Mora Says Timeline for Union Membership to Decide is Limited

Marvin Mora

Among the key questions coming out of this afternoon’s meeting is the scope of the Petrocaribe Loans Act which, according to Mora, also prevents a successive government from abusing or misusing the funds.  Despite the prime minister’s willingness to listen to the unions, there is a specific timeline to be followed.  The amendments will be tabled on June twenty-sixth, giving the N.T.U.C.B. roughly two weeks to return to its membership for their position.

Marvin Mora, President, N.T.U.C.B.

“The prime minister reiterated that he is open to receive any input on behalf of the N.T.U.C.B. that would strengthen the amendment to the act that he has proposed already.  One of the things that we point blank asked the prime minister was the last thing that we asked, that if he is confident that let’s say the unthinkable for him would happen where his government would lose power in this upcoming or imminent upcoming election and you have a change of leadership in the government, if he is confident enough that the, not only the Petrocaribe bill but the amendments that he is putting in are good enough so that it would not allow any other administration to abuse the Petrocaribe fund and he said that he is one hundred percent confident.  Still he opened up the doors not only for the congress to inject something in that regard if it were possible but also to other suggestions in regards to the Petrocaribe Bill so these are the things that we have to go back to our membership on, have discussions with them, get their feedback and then formulate positions and decisions on a go forward basis.”

Isani Cayetano

“The PM will table these proposed amendments at the next sitting of the house, that’s a finite timeline.  What is the timeline that the N.T.U.C.B. has in terms of going back to its general membership and informing them of what these changes are coming out of the meeting?”

Marvin Mora

“Well honestly, I think it’s the twenty-sixth [of June], I think, that the PM has proposed that this should be brought back to the house.  We have to act very, very fast.  We have a window of one or two weeks to play with where we can inject the results of this meeting, get some feedback and also if there is any proposals to this amendment, put them together and then we present that to the prime minister.  We’re hopeful that we can do that.  It’s a very short time but it gives us room so that we can maneuver.”