GAWU’s tribute to GAWU’s late President, Cde Komal Chand by Seepaul Narine, General Secretary
We are gathered here this morning to pay homage and final respects to Comrade Komal Chand, who was the President of our Union for many years. On behalf of the members of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union and on my own behalf, I extend our sincere condolences to his family, relatives, friends and comrades. Komal Chand was a friend, a trusted advisor and a comrade in every sense of the word. He often looked out for us; offered advice and guidance and, provided the opportunity for us to educate ourselves.
For the thousands of GAWU members, he was embraced as their leader, who led them to several victories as they faced many struggles. He was a skilled organizer and a fighter of formidable strengths and abilities. Personally and on behalf of the GAWU, I feel especially honoured to be part of today’s proceedings to pay tribute to our leader, a distinguished son of the soil, this extraordinary figure who, for nearly half a century, stood with the workers and the downtrodden of our country. For me, during this time, many things about Comrade Komal come to mind. This is unavoidable because he had a profound influence on my life, during my 35 years of close association with him, accepting his guidance and leadership. I learnt a great deal from his teachings and our interaction. I was alongside him in several battles. We shared many anxious moments in difficult if not challenging moments, we were involved with other colleagues in numerous campaigns around issues for the betterment of the working people. Always we discussed collectively issues to hammer our clear and correct positions that allowed our Union the ability to out maneuver employers.
An important lesson learned from Cde Komal :- we cannot count our victories if we don’t take on challenges and struggles.
Comrade Komal Chand joined GAWU in 1975 as the Union’s struggle for recognition reached a high point. That time as Organising Secretary of the Union, he, undoubtedly, played a critical role as the then nearly three (3) decade struggle being waged by the sugar workers. That year was, indeed, a watershed year as sugar workers downed tools for several weeks demanding GAWU to become their bargaining agent. The fever pitch that was reached saw the then Government relenting at last and approving a poll which was held on December 31, 1975. Through the poll, the Union demonstrated that it enjoyed the overwhelming support of the sugar workers. Indeed, it must have been a proud moment for Cde Komal who was among those who appended the historic Recognition and the Avoidance and Settlement of Disputes Agreement on February 27, 1976, with the now GuySuCo.
From that time until the end of his life, Comrade Komal served the GAWU and its members selflessly, with undying commitment. It was those attributes that saw him rising through the ranks of the Union to become General Secretary and finally, President. I knew that he truly loved GAWU and believed in the workers. On many occasions, he spent long hours addressing issues affecting workers and undoubtedly, those efforts contributed to the Union growing from strength to strength.
Comrade Komal was outstanding on many fronts and this certainly served him well during his lifetime as he was decorated with the National Award of CCH. He upheld the spirit of collectivity as he believed everyone could make a contribution and that their views were important. For many of us in the Union, he was a source of encouragement, at times he would be rough, and passionately, call on us to do better and improve ourselves. I remember him saying to staff members do well so that if you have to go somewhere else, you must be better than others.
Cde Komal life was inextricably linked to the struggles of workers in the sugar industry who historically challenged the plantocracy, a vivid symbol of colonial oppression. That apart, I remember being side by side with him in other struggles to expand the Union into Distilleries, Forestry, Rice, Fisheries, National Parks, Demerara Harbour Bridge and the Berbice River Bridge among other places.
Comrade Komal was also a keen follower of international affairs. Through his activism in this arena, he developed many close contacts and established links with comrades in several parts of the world. His internationalist outlook saw him, naturally, speaking on behalf of the workers of the world. He was a member of the Presidential Council of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) and from that forum advocated for improvement of workers beyond the shore of Guyana.
We are well aware of his rich legacy to this nation and to the workers. However, the heart of this great man has been stilled; it throbs no more. We are engulfed with grief, the atmosphere is heavy with sorrow, the pain over this loss goes deep. As he departs physically from our midst, the words of Nelson Mandela appropriately comes to mind: –
“When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country he can rest in peace.”
Farewell comrade Komal! Rest In Peace.
