Dear Editor,
The struggles of sugar workers to receive a raise in pay have continued to attract the attention of the nation and must have tugged at a few hearts as they become aware of the painful situation that exists. Our Union has with regularity pointed out that the workers’ wages have not been improved since 2014 as the “good life” bunch has not seen it in their heart to grant them any increase in pay.
The GAWU has recognised and appreciates that there is some amount of sympathy for the workers to benefit from increased rates-of-pay, noting that the injustice that has been meted out to the workers has upset very many.
The situation has seen several officials of the Government and the governing parties making statements recently to defend a situation which clearly cannot be convincingly defended.
We saw the AFC Treasurer and Mr Granger’s son-in-law, Dominic Gaskin, in the November 16 Stabroek News seeking to distance the Government by saying “I don’t think you can blame the Government if the Board of Directors does not see it fit to give their workers a raise…”. We also saw on the same day, in Guyana Times, PNCR Chairperson Volda Lawrence reportedly having said: “…that the workers’ unions and GuySuCo would have to iron out any change in wages amongst themselves”. Again, seeking to distance the Government from the issue.
The distancing act continued when we saw Finance Minister Winston Jordan, according to a November 20 Newsroom article, reportedly saying “any possibility of a pay increase for sugar workers, who have not seen an increase since the current Government came into office, must be dealt with the board of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo)”.
But the Agriculture Minister took the cake. Mr Holder is quoted in the November 21 Guyana Times as saying “[w]e would like GuySuCo to be able to benefit from the bonus public servants are benefitting from now, in terms of increases. But where will the funds come from?” Holder, whose days are numbered as his party has given up his Ministry, has effectively contradicted what his three colleagues told the media.
In effect, Holder is saying that the Board is straight-jacketed. We hasten to remind that the Board was appointed by the Government and, therefore, must be guided by the Administration’s policy and stance.
Of course, we should note too that the editorial of the November 18 Stabroek News pointed out “…the Government has shown no willingness to assist even in a one-off payment to sugar workers whose pay has been cut by inflation over the period.” Clearly, as the Stabroek News and others, including GAWU, have pointed out, the Government has, if not anything, a moral obligation to alleviate the troubles faced by the workers who belong to a state-owned corporation.
But so far, the Government has remained essentially unmoved and stoic. Of course, their actions cannot be delinked from what was printed in the, so far, unreleased White Paper on the Future of the Sugar Industry in Guyana which is dated March 16, 2017. That paper which was, apparently, authored by the Ministry of Agriculture at page 4 says “most of the employees of GuySuCo are supporters of the Opposition political party, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)”.
The sentence is a clear and profound explanation of why the sugar workers are maligned and discriminated against by the Granger clan. The Government has one sole consideration; that is, whether you are deemed a supporter or not. Remember, Mr Granger said in his interview with Kaieteur Radio recently that “the population of Guyana is not only confined to the sugar estates…” It is yet another clear indicator that the Government really hasn’t any compassion, care, or even concern for the travesty unfolding in the sugar belt.
Yours faithfully,
Seepaul Narine
General Secretary,
GAWU