Diddling workers…

…in bauxite

In Guyana, as in the Caribbean as a whole, the political class emerged out of the struggle for workers to be treated like human beings. Plain and simple. Brought to provide labour on the plantations, the powers that be defined them as “workers” – like in “worker bees” – who were fulfilled to produce as much sugar as possible. Not “humanely” possible – just “possible”. Even slavery was justified.

You’d think with our politicians coming out of that crucible, they’d be a bit more sensitive not to jerking around workers, wouldn’t you? Well… not in Guyana. Look at what Trotman, Minister of Natural Resources (operating directly out of the Ministry of the Presidency) just told the beleaguered bauxite workers of Linden. In line with APNU/AFC’s “Manifesto promise” they’ll be putting together a team to look into the “possibility” of establishing an alumina refinery at Linden!!

Well now you know why APNU/AFC still haven’t gotten that “First 100-day Promise” to enact a Code of Conduct for Ministers: THEY knew they’d be lying through their teeth. No Code of Conduct’s gonna permit such blatant whoppers in Parliament. These are supposed to be “honourable” men, aren’t they?? Point is, APNU/AFC knows there ain’t no Alumina Plant on even a two-decade horizon. Didn’t Bosai promise one a few years ago? A billion dollar one?

If APNU/AFC were serious about Alumina – which is the Aluminium Oxide left after all the other muck (more than three times more than the Oxide) are leached out as “red mud” – then they’d know that cheap energy is needed for the industrial process. They don’t need no study to tell them that! We once had an alumina plant at Linden. In fact it’s because of all the power needed that the Canadians built a massive generating plant using heavy oil… and were able to give the folks of Linden free power.

So if they weren’t so inept, wouldn’t the government have looked seriously at Amaila Falls to generate power, which could have fired the Alumina Plant? But basically the politicians in APNU/AFC are just mamaguying Lindeners – so that they won’t lose out big time, comes the LGE in March? Amaila Falls would’ve been a win-win all around: getting US$80 million from the Norwegians, credits from the “mitigation” funds, carbon credits etc – and making an alumina refinery “probable”.

Not just “possible” – the weasel word, like Trotman was careful to use. ANYTHING is possible… even levitation. But something’s only “probable” if the conditions favour it.

By not creating those enabling conditions, APNU/AFC’s denying Lindeners their humanity.

…in sugar

Responding to GAWU’s claim that 50 workers were already dismissed at Wales, the Agri Minister is quoted as saying they’re “only temporary workers”. And that’s proof positive APNU/AFC sees another bunch of workers as just worker bees and not human beings. For years and years, sugar workers have been fighting this  hettoizing of some workers as “temporary” – a category that is unique to sugar.

Anywhere else, you’re hired on probation and after, say, three months, you’re confirmed in the position with all the benefits and so on. In the sugar industry, you have to wait THREE CROPS!! And this in an industry that can’t get even a 50% turnout on a regular basis. But because of how they see sugar workers, there’s been no change from the old policy. Which was – that used to be the time it took to “season” new slaves and indentured workers, back in the day.

So why worry about 50 “temporary” sugar workers. They hadn’t even been “seasoned”.

…in rice

So what else can we say about this government’s attitude on rice workers. These are folks who created an industry entirely on their own, which today surpasses the sugar industry that dumped them here.

But according to the Government… they’re on their own. Into the abyss.