HGP Nightly News – PNCR General Secretary Sherwin Benjamin has strongly criticised President Irfaan Ali over his reported call for essential service workers, particularly nurses, to line up at State House on Labour Day. In a letter to the editor, Benjamin described the move as misguided and said it represented a troubling indignity toward workers who dedicate their lives to serving the country.
He argued that Labour Day should not be used for what he called “polikicking,” display or political staging. According to Benjamin, the day should instead be treated as an important occasion for workers to celebrate the dignity of labour, honour sacrifice and reflect on both progress and continuing struggles.
Benjamin said summoning nurses in such a manner diminishes the spirit of Labour Day and disrespects their professionalism and independence. “Nurses, like all essential workers, deserve appreciation rooted in meaningful action, not symbolic gestures that border on coercion,” he stated.
He said nurses and other essential workers continue to endure long hours, difficult working conditions and limited resources, often without adequate compensation or recognition. Benjamin also criticised the government’s wider record on workers’ welfare, claiming that despite major increases in national revenue in recent years, public servants have not benefited from substantial improvements in salaries and working conditions.
He argued that the absence of meaningful wage increases, along with policies he said appear to widen the gap between the rich and the poor, suggests that the administration is disconnected from the daily realities faced by ordinary citizens.
According to the PNCR General Secretary, Labour Day should be a moment of unity, reflection and empowerment, not control or compulsion. He said workers must be allowed to celebrate in their own way, raise their voices and demand better conditions without fear or undue influence.
Benjamin urged workers across all sectors to stand firm and assert their rights. He said the government should be judged not by its words, but by its actions, adding that the dignity of labour must be upheld, protected and advanced, not undermined.
