The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), from reports that appeared in several sections of the media, has recognized, surprisingly, a call by the junior coalition partner – the Alliance for Change (AFC) – for the Government that it is a part of, to make decisive decisions regarding the sugar industry. We find it puzzling that the AFC has now resorted to calling on itself to make decisions. Maybe it is reflective of the ‘strength’ of that party’s voice in the Government.
Whatever is the case, the AFC, like Rip Van Winkle, has awoken from its deep slumber and is now seeking to portray itself in sympathy with sugar workers’ rights and concerns. While our Union recognizes that members are supportive of probably all the political outfits in the country, a choice we are respectful of, we, at the same time, cannot allow an organization that sold itself as an ally of the workers to make what we see as clearly unconvincing statements.
To say the least, the AFC’s utterances were incredibly incredulous. We could not help but wonder whether the party’s leaders that drafted and finally approved the statement were the same individuals who occupy powerful seats in our country and ought to be playing no small role in the State’s decision-making. Those persons obviously, seemingly with their party’s unstinted support and blessing, would have contributed to and approved decisions and approaches regarding the sugar industry. Certainly, the AFC members firmly and strongly ensconced in the Government would have had an opportunity to make their views known on the closure and sellout of sugar estates. Those decisions, as is well known, will put thousands of workers on the breadline and push thousands more into an impoverished state. Similarly, those leaders would have spoken to decisions to deny workers’ pay rises in 2015 and 2016 as well as Annual Production Incentive (API) payments last year. Or, their support, seemingly wholeheartedly, of an IMC that is rolling back, withdrawing and disregarding long-standing practices, benefits and conditions birthed from the struggles of the sugar workers and the working-class, as a whole. Certainly, the age-old saying “actions speak louder than words” immediately and readily comes to mind.
We recall, on February 03, 2017 at the second consultative meeting on the Future of the Sugar Industry, our Union along with the PPP/C and the NAACIE strongly represented to the Government that a socio-impact assessment study was necessary to fully evaluate and be aware of the ramifications that would follow the sugar miniaturization plans. At that time, we were shockingly and, we would say boisterously, told by Vice President, Minister of Public Security and AFC Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan that the Government would not conduct such a study despite the creditable reasons for such an exercise. VP Ramjattan went on, further adding salt to the wounds, telling the Unions and the Opposition that if we felt so strongly about a study, that we (GAWU/NAACIE/PPP/C) should pursue the assignment.
Also coming to mind are statements made by Prime Minister and First Vice President, Moses Nagamootoo at the Rose Hall Martyrs Commemoration activity in March, this year. In the March 16, 2017 Kaieteur News under the headline “Guyana remembers Rose Hall Martyrs on 104th Anniversary” the PM is reported to have said “…that some sugar estates will have to be closed because all of the factories are not yielding the profits as expected”. The article also quotes the PM saying “…we can no longer treat the sugar industry as if it is a stone around our neck; that sugar as bad as its history has been; should be allowed to drag the entire nation down”.
It is patently clear, from what the party’s leaders were saying not-too-long-ago, they fully embraced the plans for the sugar industry. They were going as far as defending and justifying the sad decisions that were taken. It would not be a stretch to imagine that the trappings of the political office would have pushed the party to lend such support and in that process completely disregard what it told the sugar workers and their families during the 2011 and 2015 National Elections campaign. Now, after two and a half year, the rubber has hit the road and the AFC has shifted gear apparently, conveniently.
We see the political party calling basically on itself to approve severance pay to workers who have been made redundant or will be made redundant from the miniaturization of the sugar industry. For an organization which has a fair bit of lawyers in its hierarchy, it ought to be aware that severance pay is not optional but a lawful, legal entitlement. They are no ifs, buts and maybes; it is a matter that is as clear as day and there needs to be respect of the law.
We hope the AFC, in light of its call, will use its new found voice to ensure the state-owned GuySuCo honours its obligations to the workers of Wales who have been denied their severance pay to finally receive their entitled payments. We are reminded that VP Ramjattan, according an news story titled “Wales sugar workers storm out of ministers’ outreach” which appeared in the March 18, 2017 Kaieteur News, is reported to have told to the Wales workers in relation to their demand for severance that “…the government has no money to offset this expense…”. On this matter, the GAWU is aware that the workers, in July, 2017, sought the intervention of President David Granger to bring resolution to the matter. The President, in early August, 2017, responded to the workers advising that they would hear from Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder – an AFC member. To date, the workers have not heard a word from the Minister but in light of the AFC’s declaration certainly they should have high-expectations to receive their payments at last.
The AFC has also called for the displaced workers to be given lands to engage presumably in farming as well as to receive financial and marketing support in this regard. On the surface this sounds reasonable. But for the GAWU, this song has been played very often. Minister Holder, in a Demerara Waves article entitled “Meeting with Wales Estate workers erupts into raucous over severance pay; govt details sugar diversification plan” on March 17, 2017, is reported to have said “that land would be leased to employees by October, 2017 to shift them into becoming farmers”. October, 2017 has come and gone and not one inch of land was leased to the ex-Wales workers while suffering, desperation, misery and hard-times grip the people and the communities. Clearly, it is difficult for our Union and the workers to take the AFC’s utterances at face value and with any sincerity.
Whatever are the motivation/s for the AFC’s new found voice of reason and concern, the workers are fully aware of the truth and the sad realities that have beset them and their families. The circumstances they face today and also, surely, in the future, in all likelihood, would have been engineered by the Administration that the AFC is a part of. We see this belated appearance of sincerity to be nothing less than a poor and sorrowful attempt to add confusion to sugar workers and their families in their given plight. We wish to remind the AFC that “once bitten, twice shy”.
