Hunte, new BWU deputy general secretary

THE BARBADOS WORKERS UNION (BWU) has chosen a replacement for former deputy general secretary Robert ‘Bobby’ Morris and is also preparing for a crop of younger leaders to take up senior positions.
But general secretary Sir Roy Trotman says he will not be among the older ones leaving, at least not yet.
He confirmed today that effective February 1, 35-year-old Julian Hunte was promoted to deputy general secretary and director of industrial relations, positions previously held by new CARICOM Ambassador Robert ‘Bobby’ Morris.
Dwaine Paul has filled Hunte’s old post of deputy director of industrial relations.
The two are among the younger leaders whom Sir Roy said would replace several of the older ones retiring by mid-year.
However, the trade union leader who offered to retire two weeks ago but stayed on at the request of the union, said he was not among those leaving just yet.
Sir Roy did not say, though, how long he would remain at the helm of the BWU.
“I have reached the stage where I want to start writing books…I want to go but we are still faced with a number of problems coming out of this crisis and John Public believes that I am required to stick around and help a little bit and my members think that I should, so I don’t think I will go this annual conference [in August], that much I can promise you,” he said.
“Beyond that, I don’t know. I need to see the organization solidly planted. I think that we have the raw talent but I believe that the environment right now is very volatile and that it may be necessary, for our steering the ship successfully, for me to accept those flatterers who say that I should stay a wee bit longer, not too much.” (DP)