On behalf of the General Council of GAWU, I join our esteemed Chairperson in welcoming you to this historic 22ndDelegates’ Congress. To our special invitees, we thank you for accepting our invitation. We appreciate your presence and support. To our overseas comrades, a warm fraternal welcome.
The intervening period between our 21st Congress in 2016 and this Congress witnessed many memorable, and sad events but uplifting victories and triumph in struggle. Those events, collectively impacted upon us and will guide us as we address present-day and future challenges. Some events have permanently changed our world, while others, have caused us to see issues from a different perspective. Some touched our conscience and evoked anger at times. Indeed, the period between our Congresses had been significant and momentous. Though they were many challenges and struggles, we fought and stood up and we emerged victorious thus strengthening our resolve to advance the interests and well-being of our members and the workers generally.
A major occurrence since we last met at this forum was the COVID-19 pandemic. Though its presence is now subdued, we are conscious that it remains in our midst. The pandemic reminded us of how interconnected the world’s people are despite distance and location. It brought sudden restrictions as countries enforced lockdowns and closed borders to contain the spread of the virus. This was the first time in more than a century that the planet faced such an event, revealing the vulnerability of humanity despite technological advancements. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, the pandemic affected around 769 million people globally and caused almost 7 million deaths. In Guyana, approximately 74,000 individuals were affected, and sadly, 1,300 lost their lives. It reminded us of life’s fragility and humanity’s resilience in the face of adversity. The global effort to find a solution to halt the spread of COVID-19 was remarkable at the same time, countless medical professionals selflessly cared for those who fell ill. We owe those comrades an immense debt of gratitude.
During the pandemic, we faced additional challenges as some attempted to undermine our democracy. This was a familiar experience for those who lived through undemocratic rule in the 70s and 80s, but it was a wake-up call for our younger generation. Power-hungry individuals were willing to disregard the choices of our people to gain political advantage, and their actions could have put our country’s future at risk. The attempt to steal the 2020 General and Regional Elections was repugnant and was rightly and roundly condemned. GAWU remains unflinching that Peoples’ democratic choices must be respected.
As we move forward from that difficult period in our history, it’s important to acknowledge the positive developments which are taking place in Guyana. The country has made impressive economic progress under His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and his team. We admire their efforts to improve the well-being and welfare of all citizens. President Ali government’s commitment to building a strong nation as “One Guyana” is commendable, and the involvement of working people and their families, all of us, are crucial to this effort. To propel Guyana forward, we must enhance our abilities and expertise. We are aware of measures being taken to address this issue and we urge that all Guyanese contribute to the country’s progress and thereafter reap its success.
Comrades, uplifting the working people and their families represents a major task before us. Indeed, we are conscious of the efforts in this direction and were heartened to see President Ali highlighting, in a recent media report, his government’s commitment to “creating greater transferable value through investments, stimulating job creation, providing people with more disposable income, helping people to generate wealth…”. We fully support the admirable goals as they pave the way for a promising future. In today’s world, prioritising equity is crucial, and we are confident that the Government shares this concern. President Ali emphasised the importance of addressing equity at the Enmore Martyrs event this year. While there may not be a single solution to this issue, a range of measures, such as addressing wage levels and implementing social and economic interventions, could prove worthwhile. Additionally, we firmly believe that improving productivity is key to achieving the next level of development and prosperity. Our Union stands ready to engage the President and his team on these crucial matters in the interest further improving the welfare and the standard of living of the ordinary man and woman of our country.
The sugar industry had been a major theatre of battle since our last Congress. The industry was severely and spitefully wounded by the last Government. Workers and their families were treated as outcasts as the industry became home to the largest retrenchment exercise in post-independent Guyana. The closure of Skeldon, Rose Hall, East Demerara and Wales Estates saw more than 7,000 workers losing their jobs. Additionally, thousands of private cane farmers lost their livelihoods and tens of thousands who depended on sugar workers’ earnings severely suffered. It was yet another betrayal and one of the saddest chapters in the history of the country’s oldest economic endeavour. It was a clear anti-people, anti-worker decision demonstrating the cruel, ruthless and heartlessness of our former leaders who without remorse, pushed thousands of poor Guyanese into poverty not knowing where their next meal would come from. At the same time, those “fat cats”, sat in their ivory towers talking about a “good life for all”. Many of those poor workers were forced to take their children out of school because they could not find the bus fare or snacks for the lunch kit. Innocent dreams were shattered when their hard-working parents were put out of employment. Comrades, Sister Sue Longley, our Guest Speaker, along with a delegation from the IUF, at that time, visited Guyana to give the Guyanese sugar workers solidarity and represented for them to get their severance for which the GAWU had taken the Corporation to Court and won.
Comrades, apart from the callousness of closure, sugar workers suffered the indignation of a wage freeze between 2015 and 2019. During that time, their colleagues in other areas of the State saw their earnings improved by some 66%. Between 2015 and 2019, sugar workers’ earnings fell by over 40% as they were unfairly targeted. It was a marked departure from the promises of a 20% increase and the commitment that we will not close the industry. Comrades, many of us here today, including His Excellency, were involved in those struggles to bring justice to the workers. Our efforts, our struggles we believe brought justice and dignity to the sugar workers confronting a cabal whose agenda was clearly an intent to destroy the sugar industry.
Today a new page is being written for the sugar industry. There are visible signs of revitalisation and hope for a better tomorrow abounds. Its resurgence heartens us as we recognise and appreciate the efforts of the Government of Guyana in making available significant financial support towards its recapitalisation. Importantly was the end to the discrimination meted out to the industry’s workers. Since the new Government, workers have been treated equally and justly as their other colleagues in the State. As the industry progresses, we anticipate further improvements to enhance productivity and diversify its revenue streams. We are conscious of the efforts to focus on the direct consumption sugars which we are told have attracted considerable demand. There are also other possibilities that the industry may need to consider as its production improves.
As we look into the future, we recognise the important role of the working class in our country. Against that backdrop, we identified “Advancing workers’ rights, economic progress and social justice” as our theme. We have given significant thought and consideration to our theme as there is a consistent need to ensure respect and dignity for workers in their workplaces. It is critical to our contemporary times that there are efforts to promote greater cooperation and consensus between workers and their employers. The importance of respect for the laws, conditions, and conventions represents a good starting point.
We are also mindful of the international situation and the many challenges confronting the world’s people. Climate change has emerged as one of the most profound threats of our times. Scientists are warning us of the dangers, and more and more, we are seeing intense weather events and natural disasters. In recent times, we have had wildfires destroying large areas of forests and thousands of homes. At the same time, several parts of the world are experiencing excessive and torrential rainfall. While hurricanes and tornadoes have become more frequent and occur with increased intensity. Climate change has been driven largely by the actions of mankind greed, leading to enormous destruction in every part of the world.
We are also in a scientific and technological revolution that has led to many innovations. These fantastic inventions have increased the productive power of the working people by thousands of times. Never were we able to produce so much of almost everything. Unfortunately, even though these new technologies have increased our productivity, working people are not receiving the benefits. Inequality has reached epic proportions to the point that the world’s richest 10% is earning 40-times more than the bottom 10%.
Despite those challenges comrades, since we last met, we have also recognised unmistakable signs of a new fighting spirit in the world’s working class. There has been an upsurge in workers’ actions in all corners of the world as they seek to realise fairness, equity and dignity. Workers are involved in other protests to defend democratic gains and human rights, marching towards a better world.
Comrades, in conclusion, I say to you all, to all our members, that we are confident that with the unity of our ranks and by strengthening our action on what concerns workers, today, we can meet the demands of this time. My promise to you comrades, is a stronger unified GAWU in full defence of all our members and providing more benefits to you. Let us together make our contribution to realise a better world where exploitation of man by man could be reduced. The Russian revolutionary pioneer poet Vladimir Mayakovsky wrote: “the future will not come by itself” we have to shape it. Let us together shape it to the benefit of our members and their families.
Towards a successful 22nd Delegates Congress.
Long Live GAWU!
