N.T.U.C.B. farewell to Paul Perriott

Paul Perriott

Paul Perriott has been absent from the senate for a few months and now that absence is permanent. Perriott, who has been in the US with his wife, Christine, in recent months, was sent an email days ago, that he was being replaced as Senator. News Five spoke with President of the N.T.U.C.B., Dylan Reneau, who confirmed Perriott’s removal from two positions, First Vice President of the N.T.U.C.B. and N.T.U.C.B.’S Senatorial representative. Reneau says that prior to his removal Perriott was contacted by the General Council.

Dylan Reneau, President, N.T.U.C.B.

“It is true that brother Perriott was removed as the first Vice President of the N.T.U.C.B. and at the same time the General Council also removed him as our senatorial representative. The process stems from several months of Brother Paul not being country and not participating in Trade Union Council meetings, so the General Council on the sixth of October met and based on the constitution there is a provision for us to remove a representative from the executive and additionally we always have the right to remove any representatives on any of the bodies that the N.T.U.C.B. serves on. So on the sixth the council made the decision to do that and that has been communicated to Brother Paul via email in a letter sent to him nuh, because he is still out of the country, to our knowledge.”

Andrea Polanco

“So has he responded to the letter that was sent to him?”

Dylan Reneau

Dylan Reneau

“To the letter removing him from the office, no, to my knowledge no. But initially to the decision to remove him from office we had sent him a letter querying what is his intention. And he did respond to that and that response, the General Council took into consideration when they were deliberating and making the decision.”

Andrea Polanco

“Are you at liberty to discuss with us his response?”

Dylan Reneau

“Well basically Paul at the time said that he was out of the country and that he was unable to make meetings. He also challenged the N.T.U.C.B. on his situation, his termination, or let me rephrase that, he calls it forced termination but he resigned from B.T.L. The fact that the N.T.U.C.B. did not take a very proactive stance on that matter and he also said that there is a provision within the laws for us to appoint a temporary senator. The Council looked at all of what he had said and what was in our letter and decided to go this way. Certainly that doesn’t preclude Paul from coming to General Council Meetings because he is still a B.C.W.U. representative, so he has the where it all to still come to meetings and still be very active in the trade union movement, the reason he hasn’t done so is anybody’s guess.”

Andrea Polanco

“So at this time it leaves the General Council to select his replacement. Has anyone been given any indication that they will be filling his position?”

Dylan Reneau

“Well, there are two things, the General Council if there is a vacant position does have the right to choose a representative but what the General Council has instructed is that we replace Brother Paul as the first vice president in the upcoming A.G.M. which is going to be the twelfth and thirteenth of November in Dangriga.  As it relates to the senatorial position, the processes that we as affiliates to send nominees and based on that we go through a democratic process of voting and I think at this time we’ll also look at an alternate so to look at Paul’s suggestion in the future we could have somebody to replace somebody if they’re out on sick leave and a senate meeting is coming up. It’s unfortunate that this happened now because we will not have any representation in the house when the ninth amendment bill is discussed. But you have heard the position of one of our affiliates on the matter and the N.T.U.C.B. is still going through its long and tedious task or process of consulting.”

So for now, it is not known when the new labor Senator will be appointed.