This year also brought to culmination another struggle, which lasted almost two (2) years, when Justice Sandil Kissoon on December 05, ruled that cane cutters of Wales Estate be awarded severance. The ruling by the High Court is yet another demonstration of the complete disregard of workers’ rights by our now-a-day rulers. As is now well-known, the GuySuCo, following the closure of Wales, was seeking the 350-odd cane cutters to take up work at Uitvlugt Estate. The GAWU pointed out that this was patently wrong as the Termination Act prevented the transfer of workers beyond ten (10) miles from their original work location; Uitvlugt is some 22 miles away from Wales.
Notwithstanding the clarity and unambiguity, the GuySuCo and the Government remained adamant that the workers must go to Uitvlugt. Indeed, the workers faced no easy time as several threats, overt and covert, were directed at them and, at one point, the workers were threatened with dismissal for failing to go to Uitvlugt. The workers though were undaunted and together with the Union’s support stood up for their rights to be respected. They staged picketing exercises outside of the Ministries of the Presidency and Agriculture; they picketed the High Court calling for their matter to be speedily addressed, and also picketed the Parliament at times. They spoke to the media about their situation. Indeed those activities, among others, saw them finally receiving justice when the Court ruled in their favour. Through the ruling, the 238 workers who never took up work at Uitvlugt were to be severed with effect from December 31, 2016 and paid 4 per cent interest per annum up to the date of judgment. For the 109 who also took up work at Uitvlugt, whether partially or entirely during the period, they served and received their severance entitlements.
It is indeed sad that in spite of the clarity of the law, the Government and GuySuCo, from all intents, were aimed at punishing the workers. But the entire episode goes to show that it does no good to wrong people. Apart from the humiliating defeat, several million had to be found to offset interest payments awarded by the Court.
