The GAWU has observed the several news reports regarding the disagreement between Minister of State, Joseph Harmon and Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder regarding the issuance of redundancy notices to workers of Skeldon, Rose Hall, and East Demerara Estates. While our Union finds the contradiction interesting, it causes us to wonder about the quality of governance we have. It is even more alarming given the realization that the Government is at the centre of decisions condemning in a heartless manner, thousands of Guyanese workers to the breadline with several thousand facing the threat to be similarly affected.
This tug-of-war with the fate of our workers prompts our Union to once again put on record that despite several commitments by spokespersons of the Administration to ensure that alternative arrangements are put in place for the workers nothing has been done. This is distressing situation and workers are justifiably questioning whether there was really any plan to address their plight and difficulties that they and their families face in a jobless existence.
What is disheartening for us too is the Government’s traversing the road whereby it is considering plans to miniaturize sugar and is obviously indifferent to the harmful repercussions which we see playing out before our eyes. The absence of the highly-paid Government officials discussing with the workers their new-found plight speaks a lot about their concern and respect for the workers and their families. This is something that is now etched in the minds of the people of the sugar belt as they face up to the challenges brought about from what clearly were ill-considered and poorly thought-out decisions.
