DR Roodal Moonilal is warning that the jobs of some 1,500 dock workers are on the line as he revealed an alleged secret plan by government to privatise the Port Authority.

Moonilal said on the eve of a general election, a foreign entity from the Philippines – International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) – has already been selected as the preferred tenderer for the lease and operation of the port.

President of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU) Michael Anisette, in an interview with the Newsday on April 16 cast doubts on ICTSI, and said the International Transport Federation (ITF) which his union is part of, has been in the forefront challenging ICTSI for breaches of international labour standards and not recognising labour rights of workers.