South Bureau

PRIME MINISTER Kamla Persad-Bissessar said yesterday she was confident the meeting with union leaders, scheduled for today, will be fruitful.

She said citizens should not be concerned.

"I think we can avoid a national strike. I am meeting with the unions tomorrow (today)," said Persad-Bissessar while speaking with reporters at the launch of the electronic birth registration system in Debe.

Last week, Ancel Roget, president-general of the Oilfields Workers' Trade Union, said if issues were not dealt with seriously today, the country would face "one of the greatest battles this country has ever seen in its recent history."

He advised citizens to stock up on candles because a power blackout may take place if an agreement was not made.

Roget said, "We say to the Prime Minister that your letter did not address our concerns. We didn't want to meet with you. We still don't want to meet with you but out of courtesy and respect, you are the Prime Minister, we will still meet with you and we will clarify any point that will need clarifying".

But Persad-Bissessar said yesterday "I am very optimistic as mature stakeholders who want to look after the benefit in the interest of the people of Trinidad and Tobago we will come to some resolution."

A press release sent from the Government Information Services Limited said Persad-Bissessar was looking forward to the meeting.

It stated, "It is expected that these discussions will take place in an atmosphere of cordiality, in which both sides can engage constructively, on the challenge of building a dialogue on the issues that the labour leaders have defined. These issues include the compensation packages for workers in the public sector, the state of the economy and the implications for national development."

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 2.30 p.m. at the Office of the Prime Minister.