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| General Secretary of the Barbados Workers Union (BWU), Sir Roy Trotman, is pictured at the launch of May Day 2012 celebrations. At left is Minister of Labour, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo. (S. Pil??/BGIS)?? |
Launch Out is the theme for this year’s May Day Celebrations!?? And, General Secretary of the Barbados Workers Union (BWU), Sir Roy Trotman, wants everyone to realise that "the May Day occasion is more than just a day for worker celebration, but instead, a day for national thanksgiving and celebration for the value of work to our lives".
He made these comments yesterday at the Formal Launch of May Day 2012, which was held at the BWU Headquarters at Solidarity House, St. Michael.??
Declaring that May Day was more than a single day or season, he said: "We wanted to have May Day reflect to all of us, the oneness of our efforts as a nation to create bigger and better for more persons.?? We wanted more levels of inclusiveness and we wanted as many persons as we could possibly get to benefit from the fruits of our togetherness and cohesiveness."
Calling on Barbadians to accept the value and the importance of work, he noted: "When we have work, we should endeavour to keep that work, to improve its quality and to make sure to use it in the best way that we could build our communities and nation."
Sir Roy said the theme, Launch Out, was conceptualised by Pastor Orlando Scott and it encompasses the perception that one should never give up hope.
"[It embraces] the idea of launching out into the deep and letting your nets down for a catch.?? And the idea that even though you have toiled all day, all year or for a specific period, and that you may perceive that you have not caught enough, that, this shouldn’t deter you from the task at hand; the task to launch out yet again," he said.
Furthermore, Sir Roy stressed that the notions of launching out and never giving up were significantly relevant with the world currently experiencing "unprecedented difficulties…."?? Explaining that everyone was impacted by the current global recession, he urged Barbadians to become their brother or sister’s keeper.??
Sir Roy advised against "sheltering in your economic shells, social cocoons or private and secretive safety chambers", but proposed that citizens build the nation by helping each other, their communities and the country by never giving up hope and launching out.
Minister of Labour and Social Security, Dr. Esther Byer Suckoo, who delivered the feature address at the Launch of May Day 2012, praised the trade union movement for the noteworthy theme and acknowledged "that the theme has been manifested throughout the existence of the trade union movement as it sought, and continues to seek, to empower its members and to encourage them to develop socially, economically and politically."
Stating that the Launch Out theme applied to a transformation process that started years ago, she pointed out that it included the protection of workers’ rights; assisted in Barbadians being able to enjoy a high quality of life; and contributed to the social and economic development of the nation and the region.
While encouraging all workers to fully participate in the May Day 2012 celebrations, the Labour Minister applauded the BWU for helping its members to attain "certain social amenities through its housing programme, medical scheme, credit union and training programmes".?? She also praised the union for significant work conducted in the areas of occupational safety and health and HIV and AIDS.??