Robinson is a snitch – Code Red

by Lyf Compton

President of the National Omnibus Association (NOBA) Anthony ‘Code Red’ Bacchus has described president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union (SVGTU) Oswald Robinson as a ‘snitch’ and someone he would “never go to war with.”

Meanwhile, Robinson says that he doesn’t have any conflict with NOBA and wishes them all the best.{{more}} “I don’t really want to talk about NOBA. He (Bacchus) said I slandered him, but I don’t have any conflict. I wish them all the best.”

Both men made their feelings known Wednesday during telephone interviews with SEARCHLIGHT, after a proposed link-up of their organizations to pursue separate agendas with the Government failed.

NOBA wants the roads fixed, while the SVGTU is at loggerheads with the Government over a proposed one-month tax-free salary write-off that will cost the Government EC$25 million.

On Wednesday, Robinson said that he was invited by Bacchus to meet with NOBA’s members last Sunday, October 4 at Haddon Hotel. He said that the meeting was suggested and pursued by Bacchus and he took the idea to his executive, who agreed to go to the meeting.

During the meeting, Robinson pledged his support to NOBA’s cause and after speaking to NOBA’s members, he left the hotel with the thought that he would have been contacted by Bacchus, but that contact was never made.

Robinson said that he was later surprised by an article published online which said that NOBA was not going to support the SVGTU.

“When he called me, I told him that I would talk to my executive and the executive made the decision to team up. NOBA had explained everything to us, then they changed their mind and refused to call; nobody called me; then I saw something on IWN stating their decision and then when I contacted him, he said he never said that,” explained Robinson, who stressed, “I don’t want to have to be back and forth with it.”

Robinson also noted that he thinks that it was wrong that he was invited to speak at a meeting that was supposed to be among members of NOBA and the SVGTU and the media was allowed to stay while he (Robinson) made his speech, then asked to leave when NOBA’s talks began.

“I told him that if he called me to plan, then the media should not be there, Boucher from PSU (Elroy Boucher president of the PSU) said that too. He was supposed to tell the person (journalist) to leave. I would not allow the journalist to be there if is me that had called the meeting, but I saw the person and I told him and he told me to speak still,” revealed Robinson, who noted that after he spoke he and his party left the meeting, idled in the parking lot a while, then left.

“We did not leave vex. We had no right to hang out outside, but he saying we left angry. We were not angry; we left with the intention that he would call, but then we saw this on IWN that they would not support us. I mean he was who called and asked for support,” stated Robinson, reiterating that he does not want a back and forth battle with NOBA and Bacchus.

“I don’t want it to go on. Why would I lie about what happened?”

On Wednesday, the SVGTU issued a release stating that they and the Public Service Union will withdraw the services of their members on Tuesday, October 13th, due to the delay of the tax-free salary in lieu of no salary increase for the past four years. The SVGTU is also appealing to parents and guardians to keep their children/wards at home on this day.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves said on Monday that he cannot afford any salary increases or the tax write-off.

Also on Wednesday, Bacchus described himself as “a military man” and said he sees Robinson’s actions as that of a “snitch,” because when persons found out about the planned link-up, Robinson began right away to say that it was Bacchus’ and not his idea.

A “snitch” or “informer” is a person who reveals private information.

Bacchus said that he had in fact invited Robinson to speak at the meeting, but after Robinson spoke and left, his members became heated over a few things they had discussed (not because of Robinson) and when the meeting finished he came outside and noticed that Robinson had left.

“We (NOBA and SVGTU) never came to a decision and he left, I spoke to IWN and said what happened and the next day he (Robinson) was on air saying that he get set up,” said Bacchus.

“He said I contacted him and began disclosing certain stuff, like he start telling on me. This is like if we go to war and he gets captured he will start to talk. He said we don’t want to help him, but he didn’t wait for me to call or nothing; he just go on what he heard. He don’t even call me to find out, he just made accusations,” said Bacchus, adding that NOBA will not be helping the SVGTU, “because he (Robinson) start snitching and I can’t go to war with people like that.”

Bacchus said that NOBA met with the Government on Monday and their strike, planned for Monday, October 12, is still on unless certain demands they made are met.

These demands include the fixing of certain roads and allowing minibus men to use the Kingstown Hill route out of Kingstown, between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Bacchus said that up to press time, the Government had fixed the Sally Spring road, one of the roads on their list.

He said that NOBA had submitted a list of roads that they want fixed.