LEADER of Government Business Clarence Rambharat dismissed claims from Opposition Senator Wade Mark about a mandatory covid19 vaccination policy at the Urban Development Company of TT as baseless.

He did so during a matter raised by Mark on the adjournment of the Senate on Tuesday.Mark claimed there were workers who were fired from Udecott because they refused to take a vaccine.

He said, "There is no law that forces any citizen to take a vaccine." Mark called upon the Government "to rein in this rogue company called Udecott."

In response, Rambharat dismissed Mark's statements that he had evidence to support his claims. "Clearly, he is reading from blank paper. There is nothing written there."

This prompted an inaudible response from Mark which caused some senators in the chamber to laugh. Senate President Christine Kangaloo told Mark, "I know you are not sorry." Mark eventually heeded Kangaloo's instruction to withdraw the comment he made.

Rambharat reiterated, "I have seen my friend read for 40 minutes from one sheet of paper. " He added, "Once I asked him to refer me to his stationery shop, so I could get a reel of that magic paper."

Rambharat said during Mark's earlier contribution he provided absolutely no concrete proof to support his allegations. "He spoke about dismissed workers, without a single name. That must be worse than a ghost gang."

Rambharat said as a trade unionist, Mark knows that fundamental to any occupational health and safety (OSH) legislation, is an employer's right "to maintain a safe system of work which must include protecting its workers from a pandemic that has shut down the world."

Mark, Rambharat continued, also knows that Udecott does not have to seek Cabinet permissionl for approval of a policy document that is part of its operation.

"There is no need for Udecott to bring a human resource policy to the Cabinet for approval." He said it is public knowledge that Government has a covid19 safe zone policy. Rambharat said like all entities in TT, Udecott has adapted its operations in light of the pandemic.

This has been done with regard to things such as the World Health Organization regulations and domestic OSH legislation.

Rambharat said Udecott's priorities during the pandemic include safeguarding its workers' health and the company's financial stability. Udecott conforms with all covid19 public health regulations.

He said this adherence includes things such as working from home and quarantine of people who contract covid19 or who may have come into contact with people who may have the virus.

Due to the practices employed by Udecott during the pandemic and oversight of the company by its line minister, who is the Prime Minister, Rambharat said, 'There has been no death of employees. Udecott has had an uninterrupted flow of its operations."

He added the only exception to the latter was in May-July 2021, when construction activity was stopped due to the number of covid19 cases at that time.

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