Coalition dangles land promise for fired sugar workers’ votes

Broken promises over the years surrounding land grants for fired workers of the sugar belt have resurfaced once again, as the A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition delivers its plans to garner votes at the upcoming polls.
In their manifesto launch on Friday, the coalition mentioned the creation of a State Land Resettlement Commission to “enable former sugar workers to access land for housing and agriculture”.
In contrast to the series of unfulfilled promises meted out to retrenched workers, Government has in the past, integrated plans to the tune of G$2.6 billion to resuscitate agriculture in four villages namely Buxton, Ithaca, Beterverwagting and Mocha.
Regarded as ‘neglected’ villages, the coalition had easily injected billions into this project through funding from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to resuscitate agriculture, a move which demonstrated undemocratic governance as sacked sugar workers were still waiting for their plights to be heard and more so, addressed.
This announcement comes on the heels of the fact that large fractions of properties from the estates have already been portioned off to private investors, while former workers in the estates are still in the waiting line with only hopes of regaining a stable livelihood.
Given the track record of Government to open these lands, even the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) had referred to the offer as an “electioneering gimmick” when it was announced on the campaign trail a few weeks ago.
The David Granger-led Administration had taken the unilateral decision after entering Government to close operations at four major estates in Guyana – Wales, Enmore, Skeldon and Rose Hall. The plan to downsize this main economic sector had its blows, even more socially and economically on the population.
Over 7000 individuals would have lost their jobs, creating grave economic hardships in these communities. After four years of being left on the breadline, persons are still struggling to find employment and provide for their families. Many were hopeful for the lands over the past two years to supplement their lost income. But the incumbent Government failed to keep its word.
Now, in efforts to secure a new term in office, the broken promises have surfaced yet again on the granting of these lands. But, in fact, only two lines in the manifesto document speaks about provisions for the affected workers, with little detail on when and how this will be achieved. Under its pact to provide employment, the establishment of a commission is the only mention in the entire manifesto which speaks of assistance for the sacked sugar workers.
While Government had announced its intention of opening the lands in the past to workers, it was bracketed in the list of unfulfilled promises made throughout the years.
In fact, a huge chunk of property from the Guyana Sugar Corporation – once used in its operations – has been granted to private investors and other stakeholders.
The most recent was the announcement to construct a new Marriott Hotel at Ogle, East Bank Demerara, on these State lands. And shortly after, it was announced that another company, Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Inc (CMEI), has secured some 20 acres on GuySuCo lands for another hotel. Both deals were facilitated through the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) and the latter project will be started following a sod-turning ceremony on February 19.
Over at Wales on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), the same assurances were given that lands would be leased for farming and other activities. With Wales Estate being closed, there had been much interest in the land left behind, particularly for farmers. However, in 2018, land from the Wales Sugar Estate was snapped up by local and overseas farmers and over a thousand acres of that land was put under rice cultivation.
Extra Virgin Coconut Products (EVCP) and Amazonia Expert Services Incorporated (AESI) are the two companies who received 680 acres of land from the estate’s assets. A statement emanating from the companies admitted that EVCP negotiated the lease first, and AESI was later created.
Many sugar workers, throughout this time, have vented their disappointment in the coalition Government for “neglecting” their woes and interests. Last November, Alec Paul Singh relayed his story of giving 39 years of his life to the industry. He explained that the only option was to join the Uitvlugt Estate, located miles away on the West Coast of Demerara and even though he wanted to, his job profile was redundant.
For this, he applied along with many others for a piece of property to forge a new living. Despite making numerous enquiries, information could not be provided on other aspects of this arrangement but only the application was collected.
“They said that they would share the land to the cane cutters them, [so] that they could do farming and maintain the family and children. We apply and we didn’t get. They get us going all over to find out. We ask them what would be the rental for this land and nobody don’t know. Nothing they couldn’t tell we but we still apply and hope that land would come through,” he had recalled.
According to the former estate worker, he was planning on planting crops, since it was a stone’s throw away from his Vriesland house. Disheartened, he shared the opinion that sugar workers are being neglected while the lands are distributed to ‘outsiders.’
He added, “We feel neglected because we supposed to get the first opportunity for the land because all my grandparents and father turn the soil for this estate and we have no benefit to get. Things very rough here.”