The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) was indeed most upset and disturbed by the seeming belligerent attitude shown by the APNU/AFC Government’s disapproval of a motion to have reinstated a Ministry of Labour. The motion was tabled by the Parliamentary Opposition following a call that was reiterated by the trade union movement at the May Day 2018 rally. It is a call which the Guyanese workers, through their representative organisations, have been making over the last three years but was largely ignored despite the several credible rationales provided for going in the direction that the motion proposed.
The FITUG expected that, on this occasion, in spite of previous expressed views, given the nature of the issue and more so the venue it was raised, that the Administration would have soberly assessed and given support to the motion. That expectation was dashed, however, as shown by the contributions from the Government side and, of course, ultimately its vote in the House. Rather than advancing any convincing arguments for its stance, the Administration tangentially invoked several red herrings and did not, from our point of view, address the substance of the matter. Maybe this course was chosen as the Coalition Government, we believe, could not defend its indefensible position in not having a Labour Ministry. The noteworthy fact that even the Minister who it is said is responsible for Labour did not contribute to the debate says a great deal.
The outcome, though, a major disappointment for the nation’s workers only served to confirm the Federation’s publicly expressed view regarding the Administration’s anti-working-class nature. On too many occasions we could not have helped but point out the disregard to many of the commitments the Coalition made to the workers during the elections campaign. Time-honoured and long-standing practices even international conventions and our country’s laws have simply been ignored by the present-day Government. Moreover, one cannot ignore the increased cost-of-living burdens workers are now made to bear and which further illustrate the Administration’s unsympathetic view to the working-peoples plight. This latest act against the workers of Guyana is just another glaring example of the Coalition’s scant concern of the workers interest.
The FITUG, in spite of the Administration’s intransigence, firmly upholds and reiterates its position that a Ministry of Labour is a necessary and required institution. We wish to remind the Administration that actions speak louder than words.
