GAWU Combat - April - June, 2021

Issue #2 Volume #42

Combat Voice of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU)

First crop production fails to surpass 30,000 tonnes

therefore extending unnecessarily the factory works.

The 2021 first crop saw GuySuCo unable to surpass 30,000 tonnes sugar. The crop which concluded on May 14, 2021 saw 29,650 tonnes sugar as follows:-

we cannot discount as it had an impact, at the same time, we believe there was need for improved planning. It was ironic that the Corporation utilized almost the entire month of February 2021 to pursue out-of-crop works though Estate Target Actual the weather was conducive to AN 21,573 14,792 harvesting. Had the crop comBCF 12,404 8,668 menced early than it actually did, ICBU 8,631 6,190 the industry’s production would have been enhanced. This, we Total 42,609 29,650 consider, poor planning by GuySuCo officials who refused to While the GuySuCo will point offer overtime work during the to the rains as a factor and one out-of-crop period in the factories

The poor planning of the GuySuCo has implications for next year as well. With increased rainfall soon after the crop’s commencem e n t , tillage and planting was significantly curtailed. GuySuCo data indicates that just 266 hectares of land were tilled during the first crop, representing 19.9% of the budget. Whereas 575.2 hectares of land were planted, representing 35% of the budget. It indicates that older cycles will be available for harvesting next year. Already the industry suffers from a high percentage of older cycles and this will further aggravate the situation.

April/June, 2021

FITUG says Opposition Leader statements reckless and his Party’s Leader viral statements made shortly after the gruesome murder of the Henry boys.

S i m i l a r l y, we recollect too, indecisiveness exhibited by the Opposition in encouraging Guyanese to be inoculated against COVID-19.

Or more recent statement regarding the establishment of a so-called squad without any evidence of any kind. Whereas we understand that the Opposition has a role to scrutinize the Government, this comes with high levels of responsibility and nation, not political self-interest, should come first.

The FITUG considers the recent statements by Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon on the Sputnik vaccines reckless, irresponsible, and thoughtless. In our view, the Opposition Leader’s wild statements will only redound to higher vaccine hesitancy among our people. This is neither helpful nor useful in our efforts to exit the pandemic. And, therefore, the Opposition Leader and the wider Opposition must be condemned for what can clearly be described as unwise and deeply upsetting We know the Guyanese people propaganda. are not easily deceived and fall for the falsehoods of the OpposiThe irresponsibleness, once tion. Certainly, such recklessness again, demonstrated by the Co- should not even be bothered with. alition is seemingly characteristic We, at this time, urge everyone to of their behaviour since taking receive their vaccines and continthen reigns of the Opposition. We ue to observe the COVID-19 prorecall the now Opposition Leader tocols.

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Combat - April- June 2021

Editorial

The report has confirmed much of what our Union and others had said would occur with the closure of estates. It identified that workers incomes had fallen precipitously, and their standard-of-living suffered a stark setback. Apart from that, social ills in the communities rose astronomically. The report identified in interviews with workers, crime, alcohol abuse, destitution and suicide had in-

creased markedly following the closure of the estates.

The ability of workers to secure jobs in the post-closure period was identified as a serious challenge. The absence of income served to push former workers into a depressive state and the educational pursuits of their children were abruptly truncated as scarce monies were diverted to keeping workers and their families heads above the proverbial water line. The report, described, most vividly the hardship and trauma that workers faced following the closure of the estates. It demonstrated too that the then Government turned their backs on this group of Guyanese as it did not in any way seek to soften the difficult blow the workers and their families suffered.

Most significantly, the report identifies that there is a future for the sugar industry.

It points to several diversification measures, more particularly cellulosic ethanol which it said has enormous potential and aligns with the global thrust to shift to

renewable energy sources.

It points out that the sugar industry had to be seen within the wider context of the changing structure of the Guyanese economy resulting from oil and gas production. It added that sugar was an integral piece in the national development programme that should be advanced as the Guyanese economy grows in the coming year.

By and large, the report aligns with what the Union and many others have said prior to the closure of estates. It further enhances the decision to reopen the former closed estates and to revitalize the industry.

We believe had the examination be conducted prior to the closure, the serious setbacks that faced thousands of Guyanese could have been avoided and systematic and comprehensive mechanisms could have been advanced. What the report confirms is that our former leaders hadn’t the vision to see the forest through the trees.

coln and the nation of the promises of the Coalition Government to undertake the very policy he is advocating. He may recall that Wales would be the launching pad for diversification. Today, now five (5) years after this remains at best a pipe dream while as the ILO study points out people are facing real misery and hardship. It is not our intention to throw cold water on the columnist’s idea but to demonstrate it is easier said than done.

ginning to bear fruit. It is

following the change of

We share Lincoln’s view that the divide between price and cost of production should be reduced and eliminated over time.

But he cannot rationally expect such objectives to be realised at the drop of the hat. It certainly will take some time especially given the starvation the industry endured between 2015 and 2020. But we hold that there are several worthwhile ventures which can realize the objective advanced by Lincoln. Already, we have learnt that enhanced emphasis on packaged sugar has be-

just one of many paths the industry has on the road to sustainability.

Government. Even the Sugar CoI mentioned that this process should be advanced and recommended that a loan secured from the CDB for such purposes should be drawn down.

Despite the sensibleness of the Sugar CoI, it was ignored by the former powers-that-be. On this score, we have learnt of efforts of GuySuCo to resume its mechanization programme and to expand it to other areas of operations.

better and better must be done for them…”. Certainly, despite deserving better that were treated with discrimination at the hands of the former Government. Yet today many of those who criticize efforts to right that wrong were silent or conspicuously absent when such harshness was meted out to them. Of course, we do recognise and appreciate that Lincoln did, at times, frankly, expressed his views though even himself, after some time, seemingly changed tunes.

Finally, Lincoln says no alternative opportunities were found for the workers of Diamond. Again, we excuse his unfamiliarity.

Certainly, was he familiar he would have known the Diamond workers were offered employment at Wales and several took up the offer working there until that estate was closed in 2016. We are hopeful that we have brought clarity to the several, may be, misinformed statements of the columnist who maybe is divorced from the situation in the sugar industry.

The ILO report The International Labour Organisation (ILO) on June 10, 2021, launched the “Study of the socio-economic impact of the closure of GuySuCo sugar estates on sugar workers in Guyana”. The study which is a collaboration between the GAWU, and the ILO commenced in the latter half of 2019 after the Union had approached the ILO’s Caribbean Office for support to evaluate the impact estate closure had on the former workers of Skeldon, Rose Hall, East Demerara and Wales Estates which were closed between 2016 and 2017. The APNU/AFC Government of Guyana which had engaged the sugar unions and then Opposition, now Government, on the closure of Skeldon, Rose Hall and East Demerara Estates in early 2017 had bluntly refused the conduct of such an assess-

ment prior to the closure.

Both the sugar unions, GAWU especially, and the then opposition – PPP/C – through now President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali contended that such a study was critical to any decision regarding the closure of sugar estates.

The GAWU noticed Mr Lincoln Lewis writing in his column of June 13, 2021 titled “ILO Study on closure of sugar estates proves workers let down by government” appearing on the news outfit Village Voice made several incorrect statements regarding the sugar industry which we believe require clarity to avoid any confusion or misconception.

it is the former rather than the latter, though it requires Lincoln to be careful about what he writes.

The Unions and Opposition had argued then that sugar estates were important providers of employment in the communities that borders the estates and directly and indirectly impacted tens of thousands of persons. Despite the cogent arguments advanced the then Government, through Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan, told the then Opposition and sugar unions that it was not interested in such an examination. The then Vice President ventured as far as saying that if the unions and opposition were so interest-

ed in such an examination, they should undertake the assessment themselves. It was clear then that the then Government was inflexible and was not prepared to listen to any rational position. This led the GAWU to seeking the support of the ILO which was favourably approved.

Given the breadth of the work necessary, the study took longer than was initially anticipated. But the depth of the study enhanced its richness and demonstrated vividly the harsh realities that faced the dismissed sugar workers, their families and their communities following the closure of sugar estates without any social net. It was disappointing for the Union that the closures upfolded in such a haphazard manner.

Even the IMF, in its Article IV report on Guyana for 2017,

advised the then Government that as a result of the closure of estates it was important to provide a safety net to protect those affected given their large social impact. Rather than heeding the credible advice the then Government turned a blind eye and proceeded to shutter the estates without any plan for the redundant workers or their communities. Worse yet, the then Government chose to disregard the workers right to severance. It was only after the intervention of the Courts was this assault on the workers corrected.

Lincoln Lewis misinformed

Right off the bat, in the very second sentence of the column, Mr Lewis says “…study set out to investigate the impact of estates closure on the workers and their communities dating back to the closure of the Diamond Estate…”. This, of course, is a clear misnomer. The study on page eleven says “the Government of Guyana closed the Wales, East Demerara, Rose Hall and Skeldon estates between 2016 and 2017… [t]his study serves as a response to these closures…”. It appears the columnist may have misinterpreted the report or is engaged in wanton misinformation. Let us hope

The columnist next identifies that the closure of the East Demerara Estates was in line with some World Bank recommendation. Again, Mr Lewis appears either confused or uninformed. The World Bank’s recommendation was made prior to the new millennium. However, the Government of Guyana and GuySuCo then developed a strategy which convinced the World Bank that the recommendation was not necessary. Had this not been done, the World Bank would have withheld its support for the Skeldon project. Apart from that, we are unaware of any other recommendation.

Mr Lewis shared that sugar communities should be diversified into other economic activities. This on the surface may appear logical but the question that must be asked is how realizable are such feats?

We need not remind Lin-

It is next said that “…[t] here is no reason why sugar workers should still be doing back breaking work that mechanisation could provide for…”. We agree here with Lincoln and maybe his unfamiliarity with developments in the industry may have precluded him from knowing that already there is mechanized and semi-mechanized cane harvesting. This was an ongoing programme which was perplexingly stopped

We cannot disagree with Lincoln when he says “… the sugar workers deserve

Combat - April- June 2021

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Estate closure destroyed livelihoods and well-being of thousands - excerpts from the ILO socio-economic study

Unemployment reached frightening proportions

“Redundant workers found it difficult to obtain new employment. Many of those who did find new jobs were employed on a part-time or seasonal basis. The highest continuing unemployment rates among the respondents in focus groups, occurred at the Wales and East Demerara estates, at 60 per cent and 55 per cent respectively.

The unemployment rates among the respondents drawn from the Berbice estates were lower, with Skeldon and Rose Hall unemployment rates pegged at 12.5 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. In Rose Hall, many of the laid-off workers found part-time work.”

- Page 40

Crime increased after estate closure

“Similarly, a perceived increase in crime was experienced in all the communities affected by the estate closures. Every respondent from East Demerara and Skeldon said that there was an increase while in Rose Hall and Wales, 90 per cent and 80 per cent of the respondents respectivelysaid that there was an increase in crime.”

- Page 45

Jobs were non-existent after estate closure “Skills such as those acquired from working for GUYSUCO largely doing manual labour would not count as human capital that can serve to find comparable alternative jobs, as these skills are quite specific to things such as cane harvesting.

To the extent that such comparable alternative employment was difficult to secure, the threat to livelihoods from the closure of estates was even larger.”

- Page 35

Workers said closure made them worse-off

Alcohol abuse went up after estate closure

“As can be seen from the diagram above, only one respondent, a female, felt that she was better off compared to when she worked with GUYSUCO. While she was the only person among those interviewed to have identified herself as better off, this finding reflects the intuition that empowering women and reducing gender inequality are key to overcoming poverty and indeed, to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“According to the respondents, alcohol consumption indeed increased in their communities after the closures, as shown in the table above.”

- Page 45

That said, given the age of laid-off workers, their lack of transferable skills, limited access to opportunities, and so forth, it does not come as a surprise that respondents felt that they were worse-off after the closures than before” - Page 42

Workers anxieties about the future increased significantly

“On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most worrisome, laid-off workers were asked to gauge how worried their communities are about their economic future. Skeldon and Rose Hall respondents all responded by saying that they were most worried, as shown by an average score of 10 in the table 3.8. above. There was a small deviation in scores from Wales (9.8) and East Demerara (9.77). The closed estates’ average of 9.9 depicts a grim economic outlook for GUYSUCO communities.”

- Page 50

Sugar estate closure pushed workers and their families into a miserable existence

Workers income fell dramatically after closure “At the household level, there could have been compensating increases in economic activities outside of the sugar industry, and there could have been an increase in the number of other persons within thehousehold who engaged in income-earning activities after the closures.

The focus group data however, confirmed that weekly household incomes had also fallen dramatically by 64 per cent, from an average of G$32,238 to G$18,450 after the closures.”

- Page 32

Children’s schooling setback by closure “62 per cent of the respondents said that they had children going to school. Several of the respondents pointed out however that even if they were able to send their children to school, they were unable to pay the fees for writing the exams, though in some cases, the severance payments were received in time to allow them to pay the fees. While not asked specifically about this, the respondents did not mention whether their children had dropped out of school after the closures.”

- Page 45

Results demonstrate workers livelihoods severely compromised “The results show that the livelihoods of sugar workers who were laid off were severely compromised. It is necessary to take into consideration the fact that the focus groups were conducted in December 2019, some time after the closure of the estates. By then, workers had made adjustments, including moving out of the sugar sector entirely.”

- Page 52

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Combat - April- June 2021

GAWU establishes divisions to speak on behalf of oil and hospitality sector workers

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), at its General Council meeting held on June 25, 2021, has decided to establish two (2) new branches of the Union to advance the rights and conditions on behalf of workers employed in the oil and hospitality sectors. The General Council in approving the decision consider a report from the Union’s General Secretary which indicated that in recent times a growing number of workers from the two (2) sectors have been approaching the Union seeking advice and guidance regarding difficulties and challenges they are facing at their workplaces. That report indicated that, in many instances, workers were not aware of their roles and responsibilities.

The Union has concluded that very few workers were aware of their rights, and this is a primary objective of the two new Union branches. The branches also aim to assist employers in the sector as well to educate their workers on their obligations as employees. We believe that there is

need for a balance as workers in as much as they have rights also have responsibilities which they must similarly be knowledgeable about.

On this score, the Union is willing to collaborate with employers in the sectors to educate their employees as they seek to motivate and commit their workers to enhancing financial performance while, at the same time, enhancing the International Labour Organisation (ILO) decent work agenda.

The GAWU encourages all workers in the sector to reach out to our Union for advice and guidance. We also urge employers to speak with our Union regarding collaborative work to enhance productivity, efficiency, and knowledge at the workplace.

The GAWU, believes, that an educated worker is a committed worker. Workers and employers desirous of learning more can visit our offices in Georgetown at 59 High Street and Wights Lane, Kingston or in New Amsterdam at Lot 8 St Anns Street.

We can also be contacted via WhatsApp at 623-GAWU (4298), by email at info@ gawugy.com or though Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. The GAWU remains a staunch ally of the workers and see these efforts as part of our ongoing efforts and objectives to ensure that workers are treated fairly.

GAWU welcomes further support to sugar industry The GAWU expresses its pleasure regarding the recent decision of the Government to further support the sugar industry. The latest support amounting to $1.5B, aggregates to $10.5B channeled to the industry since the new Government took office some ten (10) months ago. Indeed, it is welcome news for an industry which had been starved of capital investment during the term of the Coalition and who, it appears, was intent on suffocating the industry to death.

The need to retool and revitalize the sugar factories and cane fields is important if the industry is to reduce its cost-of-production and enhance and diversify its revenue base. We recognize some funding will be directed to the shuttered Rose Hall, Enmore and Skeldon estates as efforts are being made towards their re-opening. Expectedly, Rose Hall will commence operations in the second crop of 2022.

And, according to a recent report in the Guyana Times, Skeldon will resume operations thereafter whereas at Enmore is being geared to become a hub of employment along the East Coast of Demerara.

Presumably, sugar will feature in the new hub given the historical ties, availability of skilled labour, and the sunk costs incurred in converting several fields for mechaniza-

tion.

We recognise too that several of the usual suspects have lined up to denounce the support to the industry. In as much as we understand that they may not want the industry to succeed as it exposes their imprudent decisions, we cannot fathom the terms, slangs, and other language they use in their denunciations. The GAWU notices that some commentary had taken on an ethnic slant which confounds us given Guyanese of all backgrounds are employed in the sugar industry. Their actions and utterances demonstrate clearly to the sugar workers, and indeed all workers, who stands with them and those who stands against them.

At this time, our Union urges that all monies made available by the State be properly utilized in a prudent manner. Indeed, it can go a long way to alleviating and resolving several of the maladies the industry faces.

GAWU disturbed by Opposition’s statements on COVID-19 vaccines

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) was deeply disturbed by statements made by Opposition Leader, Mr Joseph Harmon regarding certain claims he made about the authenticity and efficacy of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine being used in Guyana. We would think that Mr Harmon, as a senior national leader, rather than resorting to irresponsi-

ble statements would have approached the Administration if he and his Coalition had concerns. Rather he adopted a most flippant approach, questioning the veracity of the Sputnik vaccine, which he reportedly received. Worse yet his claims stand in stark contrast to scientific data published by reputable journals. Apart from that the Sputnik vaccine has been

utilized not in a few but scores of countries globally with high levels of success. Is Mr Harmon, by extension, saying all those countries and their scientific and health officials are wrong as well? Undoubtedly, Mr Harmon recognizing his waning influence wants to score cheap political points at the expense of the Guyanese people.

Apart from that the Opposition Leader avers that somehow Guyana obtained ingenuine Sputnik vaccines. Such statements he alludes to an occurrence in Mexico. How is this connected to Guyana baffles us. Moreover, Mr Harmon has not supported this claim by any evidence whatsoever but boldly asserts. We are reminded of that now famous statement made by GECOM Chairman, Justice (retired) Claudette Singh and wish to tell the Opposition Leader that “he who asserts must prove”. In the absence of any tangible evidence, it appears Mr Harmon and company are sounding like empty barrels and really should be ignored.

By his statements, the Opposition Leader who belatedly endorsed the COVID-19 vaccination programme, has undoubtedly

set back efforts to attain herd immunity in our country. This is simply reckless behaviour on the part of Mr Harmon and his team. It appears to us that the Opposition has become a danger to the well-being of Guyanese at this time when all hands are needed to bring our country out of the pandemic and allow normalcy to prevail.

Mr Harmon has also denounced the cost of the acquisition of the vaccines but has not yet offered any alternative. Maybe Mr Harmon may want to tell the Guyanese people of his efforts to secure vaccines when he previously headed the COVID-19 taskforce.

At this time, the GAWU calls on all Guyanese to ignore the Opposition Leader’s unfounded and careless claims. Our Union will continue to play an active role in the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, continuing to organize vaccine outreaches in communities. Moreover, we urge all eligible Guyanese to receive their vaccines and let us all play our role in exiting the pandemic which has already extracted enough from our country.

Combat - April- June 2021

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FITUG denounces Granger’s attack on Unions

The Federation of Independent Trade Union of Guyana (FITUG) at a most recent meeting considered a June 13, 2021 Demerara Waves article wherein former President David Granger sought to denounce trade unions. For the FITUG, Mr Granger’s statement represents a sordid affront to the entire trade union movement and the workers of Guyana.

The Federation must admit, however, that its hardly surprised by the former President’s denunciation. We recall during his term in office the scant regard he and his Administration held for the working-people. We recall he demoted the former Ministry of Labour into a department and his government, despite appeals for the trade union movement and the then political opposition, thumbed their noses to the calls for the Ministry’s reinstatement. We recollect too Mr Granger’s disrespect of the labour laws on several occasions requiring the intervention of the Judiciary before workers’ rights were upheld.

According to the article, Mr Granger contends that unions are not fighting enough.

This is a strange and, we daresay bewildering, statement by the former President.

We recollect that our affiliate GAWU staged several picketing exercises outside of the President’s office and where the security

forces were used to attempt to staunch that union’s actions. Our meeting was reminded of instance where the security forces removed protesting workers from outside of the President office. Or placing them precariously close to the canal running e a s t of the President’s office to the point t h e workers could h a v e f a l l en. Or worse y e t w h e n a mass i v e security mobilization was advanced to prevent workers from even getting near to Mr Granger’s office. Similarly, we were reminded of instance of elements police permission for marches against the clo-

sure of estates suddenly revoked.

Mr Granger shared unions should advocate for a tribunal to address dismissal of workers on a case-by-case basis. This is coming from a gentleman who decided callously to send home thousands of sugar worke r s , plungi n g t h e m a n d t h e i r families into hards h i p while he was petting e l e phants in some far away land.

It appears the former President wants Unions to do his bidding as he pushes a certain political narrative. Today, the former President who prior to his ascension to his office in 2015 called the workers his allies, is

now denouncing their organisations and by extension the workers themselves.

The former President urged unions to focus on larger issues such as OSH, layoffs, and safety nets. It appears what Mr Granger is saying is reasonable and for all intents practicable. But it is a completely different tune from when Mr Granger occupied the highest office in the land. At that time, rather than advancing safety nets he cut them all down – withdrawing subsidies to the pensioners and school children, increasing and imposing taxes on several essential goods and services, and hiking the costs for government services. Also, the former President has the ignominious distinction of not enacting or even amending any piece of labour legislation during his term in office. We, therefore, at a loss for the calls by Mr Granger yet he took no action when he had the opportunity.

As a matter of principle, the FITUG denounces the Mr Granger’s unfounded criticism. We believe that the movement has played a value and valuable role. Its efforts have enhanced workers conditions and rights. The Federation will continue to speak and agitate on behalf of all our workers as they all deserve the ‘Good Life’ that the former President committed to deliver.

Enmore Martyrs played a monumental role in Guyana’s freedom

Paying tribute to the Enmore Martyrs holds a special place in the yearly calendar of events of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).

Sugar workers, Rambarran, Lall known as Pooran, Lallabagee Kissoon, Surujballi and Harry were cut down mercilessly by the Colonial State’s agents in a struggle to improve their working conditions and better their lives. There killing is another reminder of colonial repression of those who stood up against injustices and to bring some relief to their exploitation by the foreign owners of the plantations.

This history making struggle which took place seventy-three (73) years ago was another major landmark in a list of several major struggles in the sugar industry

whose workers were violently suppressed. Such is the sordid history of foreign colonial ownership in the industry whose primary concern was profits made by the labourers who lived a life of misery and had to face mercilessly brutality in their many-sided struggles.

Though the Enmore workers were specific, it cannot be delinked from the workers need for deep-seated changes to their abominable working conditions, their poor wages, their cramped inhuman living quarters, and the miserable environmental conditions that were then prevalent in those days.

The brutal killing of the Enmore Martyrs stirred indignation among many patriotic Guyanese. The incident inspired young Cheddi Jagan and others to form the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) out of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) which was established in 1946. Dr Jagan himself who was deeply moved by the massacre that took place pledged that he would dedicate his entire life to the cause of the struggle of the Guyanese people against bondage and exploitation.

We mark with deep reverence the Enmore Martyrs and that significant workers’

struggle so that we are ever reminded that every achievement was the result of workers struggles and have not come from charitable offerings by the foreign owners.

Indeed, the days of the rule of the plantocracy are gone but our vigilance must remain as new challenges and threats are today before us.

As we pay tribute to the Martyrs we cannot fail to reflect on the sugar industry which has now received a new lease of life. Following the change of Government, we have seen focused attention and support directed to reversing the fortunes of the beleaguered. The new administration has remained true to its commitment and is extending serious efforts to re-open the shuttered Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore estates. Indeed, it is a significant task given the damage that was inflicted. However, we believe it is well worth the effort.

The recently released ILO socio-economic study on the closed estates confirmed the social and economic hardships which greeted the thousands who were affected by closure.

We recognize that the efforts of the Government are not without detractors.

Several who pushed the industry to the precipice are making what we consider wild and irresponsible statements are they push their warped narratives. We remain at a loss for their vigorous opposition to the success of the industry. It appears they have some deep-seated vengeance

against the industry and Guyanese associated with it. It certainly, in our view, speak to their character as national leaders.

More recently, the Enmore estate has been in the news. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, according to media reports, has indicated that Enmore will be transformed into a hub of employment along the East Coast of Demerara. While this appears exciting, we believe, such plans should benefit from full and proper consideration to ensure that most importantly the people are safeguarded. Indeed, Enmore, as is recognised, holds a special place in the sugar industry. Moreover, the estate’s packaging facility enhances its viability.

These are important considerations.

We are, once again, reminded that the brutal repression of 1948, did not daunt the workers nor dampen their spirit. Indeed, militancy in the industry grew and political awareness and activities expanded. Sugar workers’ right to be represented by a Union of their choice was won in 1976. Sugar workers, under the aegis of GAWU, have taken part, along with other working people in the struggles for political independence, they championed the nationalization of the sugar industry; they stood up and fought for the restoration of democratic elections. These struggles took place side by side with other struggles to improve wages and working conditions throughout the industry and for other workers.

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Combat - April- June 2021

Workers are the fulcrum o

GAWU’s 2021 Lab

by GAWU’s Preside

Comrades, I greet you on behalf of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) as we, once again, observe Labour Day. We begin by extending fraternal greetings to all workers as we recognize our advancements cannot be delinked from the efforts of our working-class. We hold that workers are the fulcrum of development and their efforts should not be underscored.

This red-letter day of the working-class was birthed in the

that His Excellency President Irfaan Ali has committed to ensuring all Guyanese equally enjoy the fruits of development. The President has rightly proclaimed we are ‘One Guyana’. We share his views andcondemn those who are perpetuating divisiveness in our society. They have no interest in national development and should be ignored by all right-thinking Guyanese.

Comrades the burdensome cost-of-living brought about by onerous taxes imposed by the past Government was an issue that dominated previous Labour Day observances. Though those policies elicited the vexations of workers who undoubtedly faced hardship, the former Coalition, heartlessly, thumbed their noses. On this Labour Day we recognize that the new Government is listening

mense toll the pandemic has taken and we all must play our role. On this Labour Day, the GAWU again, encourages all eligible Guyanese to be vaccinated. We take this opportunity to hail the contribution of our frontline workers, particularly those in the health field.

Local situation struggle of Chicago of 1886 when thousands of workers marched calling for an eight-hour workday. For their justifiable struggle, those workers faced police brutality, hails of bullets, and even the gallows for their main leaders.

The harshness steeled the workers into further action that realized the call of Chicago 1886. That struggle left an indelible mark and led to workers leaders in 1887 resolving that May 1st be deemed International Workers Day. In Guyana, Labour Day celebrations begun during the 1930s under the leadership of Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow and his British Guiana Labour Union (BGLU), and in 1958, May 1st was declared a National Holiday by then Minister of Labour, Janet Jagan. Since that time, workers in Guyana have celebrated this day with marches through the streets of Georgetown and elsewhere, along with rallies addressed mainly by union leaders and others.

Those usual celebrations are this year, like last year, constrained as Guyana and the world contend with the coronavirus pandemic. Indeed, the pandemic has had an enormous toll. Here in Guyana, some 11,000 persons have been infected, and nearly 300 persons have lost their battles. The troubling statistics should be a wake-up call to us all. Though we recognize many Guyanese have adhered to the COVID-19 protocols and received their vaccinations, there are some Guyanese who continue to put themselves and others at risk. We have seen the im-

We recognize too several issues continue to affect our well-being and require our unstinted attention. Crime remains a perennial issue which affects many persons in its several manifestations. Most worryingly are the extreme ends criminal elements have descended as they perpetuate their nefarious deeds. Indeed, our law enforcement officials need to be more proactive and there is need for a comprehensive plan to be developed to meaningfully address the scourge in our society.

We remain concerned too over the recklessness on our roadways and road fatalities in our country. Undoubtedly, to some extent, these occurrences are linked to the irre-

sponsibility of our road users. Many concerns have been levelled at public transport operators. Indeed, admittedly they are some who, it appears, have scant regard for the rules and lives. The wanton danger those careless few put passengers and others cannot be ignored. Similarly, their contempt for the travelling public must not be overlooked. It is certainly time for stronger actions to be taken against all road users who threaten the lives of others. We cannot afford to lose more of our people in this way.

On this Labour Day too, we are disturbed by the efforts of those who seek to drive a wedge between our people.

This is an unwelcome development that is not in the interest of our people and our country. We have recognised

and has rolled back several of the anti-people measures installed by the Coalition. We are told that the reversal has put some $40B back into the pockets of our people.

While we recognize the efforts to bring relief to our workers, they are some unscrupulous businesses who are not passing those savings on to our people. Their actions detestable as they rob our ordinary people. We believe this matter requires firm action from the Government and those businesses engaged in such immoral acts should be identified.

We on this Labour Day welcome as well the restoration and improvement of the school child grant, the reinstitution of the water subsidy to pensioners, the reduction in water tariffs, the increase of the school uniform grant, oldaged pensions, and public assistance. These measures directly impact our workers, the needy, and the pensioners who had to contend with a great deal of hardships while being promised a ‘Good Life’. We see these are first steps and expect the Government over the coming years to enhance the support provided as it focuses on minimizing and later eradicating the bane of impoverishment.

We hold such expectations are reasonable as we are told

Combat - April- June 2021

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of Guyana’s development

bour Day address ent, Seepaul Narine

of the steady expansion of our economy and the greater prosperity that would accrue.

We saw the re-establishment of the Ministry of Labour as another victory for the working-class. Its downgrade

by the Granger Administration was a slap in the face of the workers. There is urgent need for the re-established Ministry to arrest the exploitative practices many workers endure. It must ensure that the workers rights are upheld and errant employers face consequences for their actions. Another pressing issue regards the improvement of the national minimum wage which remains stuck at the insistence of employers. The pretext of COVID-19 has been deployed to deny our workers the long overdue adjustment. This is a matter that we believe requires urgent attention.

Comrades, a major event since last Labour Day was the defeat of the attempted thievery of the 2020 National and Regional elections. Indeed had those who perpetuated the ploy succeeded, we faced the distinct possibility of seeing all our advances reversed and starker hardships returning. While we take solace in the precipice avoided, we are disappointed that many of the architects remain unscathed. The entire episode was a horrid situation and one that we should not condemn present and future generations of Guyanese to ever again. Clearly there is

anese, we are pleased with the efforts to reinvigorate the industry. Today the depression that gripped the industry is dissipating and as we speak, serious efforts are being made to breathe new life into the industry and restore it back to a position of prominence. For the tens of thousands who depend on the industry, this is welcome news, especially for the many who were affected when estates were callously closed without any regard to the socio-economic upheaval that would emerge.

We have learnt that the industry is seeking to reposition itself to produce higher priced packaged and bagged sugar. This is a position long advanced by GAWU but was ignored by the former Government. We repeat that the industry has several possibilities for success, and we noticed that such avenues are examined through possible partnerships. This too is long overdue but goes to demonstrate, in our view, that the Coalition never really sought to protect the industry. In its revitalization thrust the new Government has provided support to recapitalize the industry. Such support is necessary to nurture the industry back to its feet. We welcome this investment and believe if properly utilised it could have a meaningful impact. The GAWU holds too that there is need for appropriate investment in the workforce as well. A motivated workforce is key to the industry’s success and the role of the workers should not be ignored.

Oil sector Comrades on this Labour Day, we are told that our country is poised for takeoff as our stature as an oil producing nation grows. Indeed, the sector has the potential to bring our dreams into reality and propel us to unbelievable heights. At the same time, we cannot ignore the pitfalls that have faced other producers as well. We must be

urgent need for appropriate reforms as our people must repose confidence in our democratic system. We reiterate our call on this Labour Day for a properly constituted Commission of Inquiry to be established to investigate and record what was one of the most disturbing periods in our young independent nation’s history.

careful to strike a balance and to ensure foremostly that our people benefit now and in the future. It is in this regard that we cannot ignore the employment practices of some companies in the sector. From what we have seen, we believe, our workers have been being shortchanged and there is an urgent need to address the several gaps.

There is also a need to ensure that we get a bigger slice of the pie from the sector. We recognise that the new Government has committed itself to addressing several of the shortcomings identified in future agreements.

We noticed too significant debate regarding the gas-toshore project which has transformative possibilities. On this matter, previous studies have attested to the potential benefits, but we hold that all relevant studies should be pursued. We must ensure that next generations of Guyanese can indeed harness the potential benefits.

International Situation Comrades, Labour Day is, as we know, a day when we raise high the banner of solidarity of the international working-class. We are part of this world movement. As generations of workers before us have done in our country, the working-class of the world have also written, selflessly, glorious, and inspiring chapters of struggles that impacted positively on our lives and influenced profound socio-economic change in their respective societies.

In our day, we are witnessing new challenges levelled at those who historically thrived on wars, conflicts, oppression, and exploitation. These ruling forces and their agencies and their puppets, despite their use of new methods and intrigues against the peoples, are unable to suppress their reinvigorated struggles erupting on all continents or to still the peoples’ voices that demand an end to injustice, and are calling for World Peace, deepening of democracy, end to poverty, respect for countries sovereignty and consistent and focused efforts to address climate change which is reaching a critical level.

We express, in the strongest terms, our sincerest solidarity to all peoples, especially the working-class who are engaged, in one way or another, in this fight today for these causes. We hasten to add that while we support these struggles, we must also do our share to bring about an order that places people before profits and a world order based on peace, humane relations, and steady progress.

Conclusion Comrades, on this Labour Day 2021, as workers let us recognize that we need to be more assertive in demanding our rights and insist that we be involved in the decision-making processes that impact our lives. We must speak up and speak out for democracy and justice.

Today’s conditions do not call for complacency but for greater activism. The spirit of Chicago, 1886, as well as our own rich legacy should serve to inspire us today. Let us remember these insightful words to the world’s workers: “Workers, Unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains; you have a world to win”.

Labour Day greetings to all working-people indeed, all citizens of Guyana!

Long live Proletarian Internationalism!

Sugar industry Long live Labour Day 2021!

Comrades, turning to sugar, which employs many Guy-

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Combat - April- June 2021

10 years since the Arab Spring

By James J. Zogby A decade ago, we were in the throes of what observers in the West termed the “Arab Spring.” An assessment is now in order.

Because Western analysts assumed that these uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen were organically linked, mirroring the revolutions that brought down the Communist regimes operating under the protective cover of the Soviet Union, they termed them the “Arab Spring”. These Arab uprisings, however, were not threads of one unraveling region. While sharing some common characteristics, in each instance local factors shaped them.

One shared feature was their almost exclusive occurrence in the so-called “Arab Republics”, countries that for decades had been ruled by military regimes that lacked broad legitimacy and had become increasingly ossified and corrupt. Also, each of these uprisings started as largely non-violent youth-led protests focused on poverty, employment, and the desire for greater freedom and political rights.

Despite being branded “revolutions”, only in Tunisia, though it is still in a fragile state, has there been a true revolution, bringing about a change in governance.

In Egypt, nothing close to a revolution occurred, with the military retaining control after deposing Mubarak and later the Mus-

lim Brotherhood. Despite Egyptians’ deep concern with the Brotherhood’s attempt to impose its agenda, the military may have created a problem for themselves. Our polling shows that, as a result of increased repression, Egyptians’ approval of the military has plummeted by more than 35 points, and Egyptians now say they are worse off than they were before and have less hope for the future.

The experiences of Syria, Libya and Yemen have been different. As societies fragmented by sect, tribe and region, with the deposing of old regimes, groups either sought or were sought out by external powers, resulting in prolonged bloody civil conflicts; outcomes remain uncertain.

Even with this checkered record, new uprisings are still occurring, including sustained mass protests in Sudan, Algeria, Lebanon and Iraq in recent years. While distinct and not fundamentally linked, each uprising has exploded for similar reasons: lack of jobs and needed services, bad governance, and hopelessness.

The revolts in Algeria and Sudan are somewhat similar to those in the other “Arab Republics” with only Sudan a potential success story. With Sudan’s military dictator deposed, and after continuing protests, the military agreed to form a new government sharing power with civilian leadership. With a projected three-year run for this “experiment”, only time will tell whether the transition leads to full civilian control.

The outcomes in Lebanon and Iraq, where the demands are similar, and in-

clude an end to sectarianism, are even more difficult to predict. The repressive violence of Iranian-supported militias in both countries, and the stubbornness of corrupt sectarian elites in Lebanon, pose real roadblocks to change.

Ten years after the first uprisings, the fragile “stability” that once characterised the old order of the “Arab Republics” has given way mostly to chaos. Despite their uneven success and uncertain futures, there are lessons to be learned.

Regimes should know that repression cannot replace unresponsive governance.

Leaders should respond to the protestors’ legitimate concerns and offer them real hope for change.

The protesters, especially in Lebanon and Iraq, must develop a coordinated leadership, a coherent program of demands, and a plan for implementation.

Where possible (e.g., Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, and Iraq), protestors must organise politically for the next election, to prevent the uprisings from being co-opted by the Muslim Brotherhood or other politicised sectarian movements.

The US must understand that any new Iran deal must include pressure to stop exploiting sectarian divisions and end its meddlesome and violent behaviours in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. And the US should focus future assistance to these governments on job creation, private sector growth, and improvements in education, healthcare, and delivery of social services.

The world says no to the Blockade of Cuba 184 countries support ending the US blockade of Cuba

By Rosa Miriam Elizalde Cuba won another diplomatic victory in the General Assembly of the United Nations against the government of the United States. The majority of countries (184) voted in favor of the resolution which calls for the lifting of the blockade against Cuba.

The resolution has been brought to the UN every year since 1992, except in 2020 when the government of Havana was unable to present it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This victory is a reminder of the Cuban people’s long wait for an act of justice that can rectify the worrying situation, which is a mix of the abuse of authority, the disproportionate use of violence, and the very specific intention to “destroy, totally or in part, a national, ethnic or racial group, in its totality,” the UN’s definition of genocide in its 1948 Convention.

Only very few cases of mass killings have been considered genocides unequivocally by the international community. However, there is no other name for this horror which has lasted for more than 60 years and has forced several generations of Cu-

bans to go about their daily lives under a heavy fog. This powerful elite carries out inhuman monstrosities against millions of people for the mere crime of existing.

Is it not genocide to deny people, in the middle of a pandemic, medicine and food, access to internet services to the majority of people, to finance and trade between equals? If so, we must then, like Raphael Lemkin, invent a word for this nameless crime.

It is difficult to account for how many in Cuba have died because they did not have the medicine they needed or because it did not arrive on time. The report presented by the Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, on the damages of the blockade in 2020, has 60 pages without one adjective. The report is merely a list of what happened, excessive costs, items that did not arrive on time because they had some component from the US –from a plane to a respirator that was destined for an intensive care unit-, names of companies that have refused to supply the island with the technology, raw materials, reactive agents, diagnostic kits, medicine,

devices, equipment and replacement parts needed by a public health system.

A friend told me that the images of George Floyd’s assassination had a strong impact in Cuba. Being suffocated on the ground by the police officer who refused to lift his knee off his neck, despite the cries of the victim saying that he couldn’t breathe.

The video went viral across the world and was the catalyst for the largest anti-racist protest in the United States since the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

We understand the feeling of impotence of the people of the United States who feel rightly so that this is a systematic abuse of power. In the case of the 8 minutes and 46 seconds of George’s agony, it was key that the entire incident was recorded. The question that remains, after the conviction of the killer cop, is how many other people have been killed or have suffered in silence simply because there was no camera when the system didn’t let them breathe.

We know that there is always a knee on someone’s neck, suffocating them. This is what happens with the blockade. This strange word that may seem to be ab-

stract for many, but not for the person who finds themselves in the emergency room in Cuba, has a sick child or has spent six hours in line to buy food that before the 242 additional sanctions added by Donald Trump and before the damn pandemic, could be found with less difficulty.

Joe Biden’s representative at the UN reached new levels of cynicism when they said that the blockade is the responsibility of the Cuban government which uses it as a pretext to remain in power. This is like George Floyd’s killer saying his knee on somebody else’s neck was the victim’s excuse for suffocating.

As such, these are moments of joy in Cuba as we learn that once again that from the New York headquarters of the UN, the world said no to the US blockade.

This coincided with more hopeful news: Cuban scientists were able to finalize the first two Latin American vaccines. One of them, Abdala, has a 92.28% rate of efficacy.

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US criminality in occupied Palestine

By Donald Monaco Israel’s recent military assault on the Gaza Strip of occupied Palestine intensifies questions of US complicity in the conflict. While the bombs were falling, congressional Republicans demanded that President Biden “strongly condemn Hamas” for firing missiles at Israel. Conservative Democrats demanded that Biden become more “engaged” in the drama. So-called progressive Democrats voiced a desire to place limits on military aid to Israel. On both sides of the political aisle, demands grew for the United States to become more involved in the crises.

Representatives of both parties were mistaken. The US was firmly engaged in the conflict on the side of Israel. President Biden allowed the brutal assault to continue for 11 days by repeatedly intoning that “Israel is allowed to defend itself.” Essentially, Biden gave Netanyahu a green light to destroy Hamas, condemning himself as an accessory to mass murder. The extended bombing campaign gave Israel an opportunity to pulverize the Gaza Strip slaughtering mostly civilians in a gruesome display of state sponsored terrorism. In the end, Israel’s pathological prime minister failed to degrade the fighting capability of Hamas.

Throughout the conflict, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken asked both sides to show “restraint,” as if this was a symmetrical war between countries rather than the 4th most powerful military force in the world bombing a besieged ghetto. Blinken also called for a two-state solution oblivious to the fact that there are now 622,670 Jewish settlers living in permanent settlements in the West Bank. Proposals for a two-state solution are a fiction used to posture for a non-existent peace process that allows Zionist colonization to proceed unimpeded.

On the diplomatic front, U.S. ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield blocked UN Security Council resolutions that called for a cease fire and condemned Israel’s military response to the crisis after having delayed

a meeting of the Council. A spokeswoman for the Chinese government eviscerated the double standard whereby the US routinely condemns China for treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority while allowing Israel to massacre Muslims in Palestine.

The US offered “aid” to Gaza simultaneously offering to replenish Israel’s weapons and its “Iron Dome” defense batteries. The US has approved $735 million in military aid as part of a yearly $3.8 billion gift to Israel that finances purchases of the F-16 and F-35 fighter jets used to bomb Gaza. The advanced fighter aircraft are produced by U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

Secretary Blinken offered $360 million to rebuild Gaza, but stipulated the money must not help Hamas whose leaders rejected the help. The aid will be funneled to the Palestinian authority in the West Bank to further divide the Palestinian resistance.

The US will also coordinate international assistance to Gaza.

There was no condemnation from the Biden administration of the genocidal assault on Gaza or the vigilante violence that took place against Palestinians living in Israeli cities. Not a word was uttered to denounce the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians living in East Jerusalem or repeated attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

During Blinken’s trip to Israel, he refused to meet with representatives of Hamas.

This strategy mirrored US policy in Vietnam, where the Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson administrations supported the puppet government in Saigon, refusing to speak with the Hanoi leadership of Ho Chi Minh until Johnson finally agreed to do so in 1968. Ho Chi Minh died in 1969 after leading the national liberation struggle against the French and Americans for 25 years. The Nixon regime was eventually compelled to negotiate with representatives of North Vietnam when it became clear the US could not win the war.

Biden and Blinken could have communicated with leaders of Hamas at the inception of the crisis to bring about an im-

mediate cease fire. The US could have stopped the bombing of Gaza in one second despite Netanyahu’s intransigence by threatening to cut off aid and support U.N. Security Council resolutions condemnatory of Israel. There was precedent.

US imperial interests in the Middle East are tied to Israel. A symbiotic relationship exists between imperialism and Zionism.

The interests of the US have merged with the interests of Israel. A key debate in foreign policy circles is whether Israel functions as a strategic asset or liability of the United States.

With the existence of the Soviet Union in a bipolar world, the US relied on Israel as an attack dog in the Middle East principally aiding its efforts to fight Arab nationalism and counter Soviet influence in the region.

In other parts of the world, Israel stood alone with the US to support apartheid South Africa. Israel also provided weapons to right-wing dictatorships supported by the US in Africa and Latin America.

Since the dissolution of the USSR, Israel has become a strategic liability of the US generating fanatical hatred of America throughout the Arab and Muslim world for prosecuting a destructive “war on terrorism” whose architects were neoconservatives closely associated with the right-wing Likud party in Israel.

Neoconservatives now dominate the foreign policy establishment so thoroughly, that any aversion to US hegemony is considered treason. Critics of the US relationship with Russia or Syria are quickly targeted as apologists for Putin and Assad, respectively. Pragmatic alternatives to the exercise of assertive power are nonexistent in official circles. The Wolfowitz Doctrine failed to prevent the emergence of competitors to US power, but animates the New Cold war against Russia, the Pivot to Asia, sequential wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria and coups in Honduras and Ukraine. The ascendancy of neoconservative political ideology that equates the interests of imperialism with those of Zionism in the corridors of power and prominence of an Israel Lobby that advances this perspective, explains America’s unconditional support for Israel despite the liabilities.

Former US President Trump was fanatically pro-Israel in part because of his friendship with Netanyahu, business connections with the Kushner family in the real estate industry and massive campaign contributions by the late ultra-Zionist casino magnet Sheldon Adelson, Paul Singer and other pro-Zionist Republican mega-donors. Trump’s rabidly pro-Israel agenda resulted in the U.S. embassy being moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, official recognition of Israel’s illegal annexation of Syria’s Golan Heights, Kushner’s “Deal of the Century” that failed to resolve conflict with Palestinians and the Abraham Accords of 2020 that normalized relations between Israel and United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

Taken together, the Deal of the Century

and Abraham Accords intended to subjugate the Palestinian struggle and eliminate isolation of Israel in the Muslim world.

Resistance continues with Hamas in Palestine, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria and Iran. The strategic goal of the U.S. and Israel is to smash the “Arc of Resistance.”

Obama launched a dirty war in Syria to topple the Assad government and break a link in the chain connecting Iran with Hezbollah and Hamas. The U.S. supported Islamic jihadists, including ISIS fighters, in the covert war. Trump tore up the nuclear agreement with Iran and imposed killer sanctions on the country, cheered on by U.S. media propagandists.

Passage of the Jewish Nation-State Law in 2018 codified apartheid in Israel.

In June 2021, Benjamin Netanyahu was forced out and Naftali Bennett, a rightwing ultra-nationalist more hawkish than his predecessor, was moved in as prime minister. Bennet is doctrinaire. No Palestinian statehood, no two-state solution, no removal of settlements, no ending the occupation, no right of return, no peace.

For Bennet, Israel is a Jewish state not a state for all its citizens.

By providing unconditional support for racists in Israel, the US openly promotes apartheid, nurtures barbarism and condones savagery. The US is fully complicit in the crimes of the settler state. As Israel continues to consolidate what B’Tselem describes as a regime of Jewish Supremacy from the Jordan to the Mediterranean, an irresistible force continues to meet an immovable object. Israel cannot expel seven million Arabs living among seven million Jews in historic Palestine. Torture, abuse, oppress and kill, yes. Eliminate or exterminate, no.

The Zionist war on the Palestinian people is relentless. Zionist demands for a supremacist Jewish state and Palestinian demands for self-determination are irreconcilable. Occupied Palestine is the epicenter of resistance to settler colonization and the struggle in Jerusalem is its core. By fighting a ‘war of terror’ against the resistance, the U.S. and Israel have unleashed a torrent of anger, hatred and violence that breeds a whirlwind of incessant and ever worsening strife.

When rationalizing Israel’s “right to defend itself” from Hamas rockets, the racketeer and war criminal Hillary Clinton recently claimed the U.S. shares similar values with Israel. It does. It shares the values of a racist colonial settler state, not the values of democracy hypocrites like Clinton and the murderous Netanyahu pretend to extol.

Ending US criminality in Occupied Palestine means ending the American empire. As long as the empire persists, it will support the apartheid state. Liberation in Jerusalem begins with liberation in Washington.

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Lewis’ characterizations misplaced!

GTUC General Secretary, Mr Lincoln Lewis in a letter appearing in the June 02, 2021 Stabroek News titled “GWI must provide reasons why they cannot afford to keep these workers” in expressing his views regarding GWI’s decision to terminate workers has decided to take a swipe at the sugar industry for no apparent basis. This is a continuation similar remarks Mr Lewis has made about the industry as he seeks to find red herrings to justify his contentions.

We acknowledge and respect Mr Lewis’ advancement of solidarity with the affected workers. We too are disheartened by the GWI decision but we see no rhyme nor reason to use it at a launching pad to argue as the GTUC General Secretary does. His reference to the sugar industry appears to be the pursuit of some ethnic rationale. As a trade unionist, Mr Lewis knows that genuine labour representatives do not apply lenses to germane workers issues.

The GTUC General Secretary in justifying his stance shared that others held the sugar industry benefits from some unique, maybe favourable, treatment. We, unfortunately, do not harbour similar views and cannot agree with Mr Lewis. We hold that the industry is no different from other sectors which are similarly benefitting from State support to enhance their efficiency

and effectiveness. Yet it appears the sugar industry is scapegoated for no apparent reason other than to advance some warped perspective and possibly to engender ideas of divisiveness.

Our Union holds that the support to the industry is not without good reason. Indeed, it is generally known, that the Granger Administration deliberately starved the industry of resources and in the process weakened it considerably. In such context it requires support towards its resuscitation. We have not been shy in expressing that we believe the industry has all possibilities for success. Certainly, given the opportunities available we ask rationally why they should not be pursued? Genuine leaders are not ostriches with their heads in the sand but they are rational thinkers who seek to advance development and well-being of their people.

We do not believe we can ignore the varied and various contributions of the sugar industry. This is visible to the naked eye and does not warrant any extensive examination. Therefore, we find the apparent divisive attempts disturbing and disconcerting. The seeming attempt to pulldown the industry and by extension the thousands who depend on it to advance one’s narrative cannot and should not be condoned.

Combat - April- June 2021

FITUG heartened by efforts to address conduct of elections officials The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) welcomes efforts by a section of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to address, alas, the unbecoming conduct of Chief Elections Officer alas meaningfully, Mr Keith Lowenfield; Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Ms Roxanne Myers, and Region #4 Returning Officer, Mr Clairmont Mingo during the 2020 General and Regional elections. The Federation, on several occasions, had advanced that serious actions to be taken against the three (3) individuals.

The trio were at the center of the elections controversy which engulfed the nation for five (5) months. We hold that had they and their sponsors succeeded, the gains our nation recorded since the restoration of democracy would have vanished as Guyana would have been seen as a pariah in the democratic world. The conduct of GECOM officials represented probably the most naked attack on our democracy and the rights of our people. It is our view that personnel of such character should be no where close to the elections machinery

ever again.

The three by their conduct, in our view, have demonstrated a lack of impartiality. They have shown not only Guyanese, but indeed the world, the depths they would descend to thwart the will of the Guyanese people. Their flagrant disrespect to decisions of the Court and the Commission ought not to be countenanced. As a law-abiding, democratic, and freedom-loving society such behaviour is simply intolerable, and they must be held responsible for their actions.

We trust that good sense will prevail, and the Commission will act decisively. We hold that it will send a strong message and signal no tolerance of individuals and/or groupings who seek to besmirch our democratic character.

At this time, too, we reiterate our previous sentiments for electoral reform that would promote an accountable, unambiguous, and transparent elections machinery. The FITUG hopes at an appropriate time it will make its views on these matters known.

Workers bodies and leaders collaborate to establish “Labour for Electoral Reform” sentiment, we believe, that is felt broadly throughout our nation and one that no right-thinking Guyanese can ignore.

It was against that background, that workers leaders and bodies having been sharing their views on the issue decided recently to establish the “Labour for Electoral Reform”. The grouping which will comprise labour bodies, leaders and ordinary workers will champion the need for electoral reform in our country. We recognise that the current system is susceptible and requires strengthening to enjoy the confidence of the Guyanese people.

The group will be led by GLU General Secretary, Carvil Duncan and its Secretary is GAWU General Secretary, Aslim Singh.

The five (5) month impasse following the March 02, 2020 National and Regional Elections remains vivid in the minds of many of our nation’s workers. Many workers, during that period and after expressed and continue to express anxieties

over the attempts to undermine our democracy. Several expressed consternations that had our democratic rights been lost what other rights our people stood to lose or whether any of their rights would have been preserved.

The dangerous precipice that our country confronted has caused workers to harbour doubts of the institutions and mechanisms that are charged with consolidating our fledgling democracy. Indeed, this is a

We see our establishment as timely recognizing that efforts are underway to advance serious considerations of electoral reform. Indeed, as genuine representatives of our working-people, our group is eager to have an opportunity to express our views and share our thoughts on areas for reform. In the coming days and weeks, we hope to fine tune further our proposals as we begin to advance our cause, and to speak on the behalf of our workers on this important and essential issue.

Combat - April- June 2021

GAWU condemns assault of Guyanese worker by foreign employer The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) was disturbed to learn from social media about the assault of a Guyanese worker at the hands of reportedly a Russian national employed by Innovative Mining Inc. Our Union has seen the statement emanating from the Company which seeks to offer, in our view, a feeble defence of what clearly were intolerable actions by the official.

The assault brings into focus, for us, the credibility of foreign investors in our country. Though we are not averse to foreign investment, recognizing its role in advancing development, we hold that investors whether local or foreign must be respectful of our people and their rights. We live in a society that is governed by rules and laws and no one has a right to take the law into their hands.

For the GAWU which draws a large number of members from the sugar industry, the scene jarred our memory back to the time of the plantocracy. It was a painful period where workers rights were ignored or wantonly trampled upon and workers were seen as means of production rather than living, breathing human beings.

It was from the concerted struggle of the working-class and their allies that workers were able to put such wretched relations into the dustbin of history. Therefore, for us, to see such occurrences taking place in our modern time is upsetting and disturbing.

Though heartened by the swift response of relevant Government agencies, we expect that those in the breach will be condemningly dealt with and be made to answer for their actions. The incident highlights the need for greater scrutiny of what takes place in our workplaces, especially in the interior. Of course, the sad situation, we note, cannot be delinked from the dismantling of the Ministry of Labour by the former Government. Indeed, the ghosts of the scant regard paid to workers’ rights continues to haunt us.

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FITUG Labour Day 2021 message

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) and its affiliates – the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU) – extends greetings and recognizes the contributions and efforts of the Guyanese working-class and all workers of the world on this Labour Day 2021.

This year’s Labour Day finds the world gripped by the novel Coronavirus pandemic. It has disrupted our lives and made the previously mundane seem strange. As in previous times of adversity, mankind has demonstrated its will and intellect to surmount challenges. Concerted worldwide efforts has brought vaccines which can majorly dent the impact of the pandemic.

Here in Guyana, we recognize the efforts of the Government to inoculate the adult population. We note when compared to several nations, we have made tremendous progress, and this is reassuring development. Though heartened by such developments, we see too the irresponsibility demonstrated by some of our countrymen and women. Such attitudes are not helpful in our desire to attain herd immunity. And, on this Labour Day we encourage all Guyanese to receive their vaccines as we hold that we all have a responsibility to ensure that we can emerge from the pandemic in the shortest possible time.

As a day set aside to recognize the role of the working-class, the FITUG remains dismayed by the disrespectful attitude of some to our nation’s workers. We have heard too many times of instances of employers who seek to disregard our workers rights and conditions. Such actions are simply abominable and cannot be tolerated. The Federation has recognised the efforts of the Ministry of Labour to bolster to ranks as it seeks to uphold workers rights.

This is a positive development and one that we are encouraged by. At the same time, we must express our disappoint-

ment that Labour Day 2021 is observed but the national minimum wage remains the same despite an agreement for an improvement. On this Labour Day, we sound our call for the national minimum wage to be increased to $60,000 monthly.

The working-class is guided by the principles of solidarity and fraternity and where workers irrespective of background strive for unity of purpose. Such attitudes we hold should be transcended to national life as well. In as much as we hold hope for such realities, we are disturbed by the divisive sentiments expressed by certain quarters. Most recently, we have seen the utterances of Opposition MP, Amanda Walton-Desir. As a leader, we hold Ms Walton-Desir to a higher standard and she ought to know and do better. Her remarks have no place in our modern society and are roundly condemn her and other engaged in such disturbing acts.

This Labour Day also finds the workers breathing somewhat easier as many of the burdens placed on their backs have been lessened. We welcome the reversal of anti-worker policies which heightened the cost-of-living over the last few years.

We hail too the reinstitution of the several pro-people policies by the new Administration. Taken together they will go a long way to addressing the plight of our workers. We also recognize statements of His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali to close the rift between the have and have-nots. Given our anticipated economic expansion such statements are heartening, and we look forward to further expansion of pro-poor policies in the coming years.

Indeed, Labour Day 2021 greets us with a mixture of hope and anxiety. We are certain as in the past we will surmount our obstacles and emerge stronger and more committed. Certainly, there is a lot more to accomplish and more victories are within reach. On this Labour Day, the FITUG reiterates its commitment to enhancing the working-class and deepening the involvement of workers in decision making.

GuySuCo statements unhelpful to good relations with workers and Union

The GAWU has recognised the GuySuCo through its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sasenarine Singh, and its Senior Public Relations Manager, Ms Indira Badal have offered responses to sentiments expressed by our Union over the last few days. Having considered the respective statements, the GAWU believes it necessary to offer clarity to some of the remarks of the GuySuCo officials.

At the outset, both Mr Singh and Ms Badal shared that the GuySuCo would not negotiate in the media. Despite their undertaking, both individuals in their respective expressions proceeded to make certain statements which we believed have prejudiced the ongoing discussions. For the Union, it was the first time we had learnt of these statistics. We believe it would have been prudent for the Corporation to share such data at the bargaining table. It appeared to us that both high-ranking GuySuCo officials, who are still relatively new to the industry, either do not understand or have chosen to ignore the call of the workers for the Corporation to return to the bargaining table. It appeared rather than listening, the Corporation, it seems, has chosen to hide in the media than interfacing with the Union and the workers. This, if true, is disturbing.

The Corporation claimed that in 2020 it utilised 102% of revenues to pay wages.

For us this seems perplexing, as the GuySuCo, to the best of our knowledge, did not receive support from Government for current expenditure. The media extensively reported that that Government financing was solely for capital expenditure. If what

the Corporation is saying is indeed true, we are befuddled as to it how met its other current expenses. We have learnt there is some difficulties but, at the same time, the Corporation found from revenues last year funds to meet certain statutory obligations and creditors. It may, therefore, contradict the sentiments of the Corporation. But then maybe it is the Corporation is being ran by a team with Houdini-like skills.

We were equally perplexed when the CEO shared that the company “…cannot pay what it does not have…” but yet saying it is “’willing and ready’ to negotiate salary increases…”. We had to wonder whether Mr Singh really thought about what he was saying before he said it. We reiterate our Union remains willing to engage the company and remind that it is the GuySuCo which has avoided the Union and the workers. Ms Badal shared that the GAWU and GuySuCo are slated to meet on May 04, 2021. What she did not say that it was some two (2) months after our last meeting and only coming after the workers staged their protest actions. It hardly seems to us that the Corporation was ‘willing and ready’.

Mr Singh also shared with the media that he inherited “…an industry that was broken…” and one which “…requires a strategy…” for its revival. We have no qualms about what the CEO has said but we hasten to ask are the workers not an important component of his strategy. We consider them the most critical element and while the CEO recognizes that the company must invest to correct capital deficiencies, it is the workers who ultimately

will be charged with ensuring that the company is turned around. To apparently ignore their plight and their valid concerns is upsetting.

The GuySuCo boss averred that the negotiations cannot be rushed as the Management is answerable to its Board and shareholders. This is a tune that the Union and workers have been hearing since the last quarter of 2020. Certainly, the CEO, logically, had sufficient opportunity to pursue the necessary consultations.

Moreover, it was Mr Singh himself who committed to providing the GuySuCo’s response at the end of March 2021. To ask the CEO to abide by his own commitment appears to have upset him.

GuySuCo also asserted that its executive staffing increased by two individuals since August 2020. We consider the response mere semantics and a crude sleight of hand. At no time did the Union allege that thirty (30) persons were hired at the executive level, what we said is that we have learnt that a similar number of persons were hired at the head office level in addition to several consultants. There is an obvious distinction. We also are aware too of the Hay methodology but this assertion we believe is an intended distraction from what we have learnt. The Union shared that it understood some of the new employees were receiving pay levels not at the minimum of their salary scales, as was done in the past, but some chosen ones it is rumoured are receiving pay rates higher than the minimum. It is against this background that we expressed concern given there are employees who have served the

company for many years and have not moved from the minimum of the band.

The Corporation claimed that it had remitted to the Union the sum of $140M between August 2020 and now. We wish to clarify that our Union received $31,806,616 representing union dues and $79,398,039 representing credit union savings of workers, an aggregation of $111,204,655. These are monies authorized by workers and deducted from their wages/salaries and ought to be paid over.

If indeed the GuySuCo paid out such a large sum, as we have demonstrated it was not entirely remitted to the GAWU or the Credit Union and we urge the GuySuCo to double check its figures. Regarding the outstanding sum, this is a matter that is actively engaging the Union and we will refrain from any further comment.

Prior to statements by the CEO and public relations manager, the public in the April 14, 2021 Guyana Chronicle were told that sugar was getting sweet again. We, like all Guyanese including the workers, read that the company was benefitting from improving sales and new markets were being secured with the progress being described as ‘phenomenal’. The article reported that the GuySuCo CEO said “…the sugar industry will soon be able to ‘stand on its own’…”. But now we are being told that GuySuCo is gloomy. The company is obviously in a confused state.

Both GuySuCo officials shared they wished a win-win situation and were committed to working along with the workers and the Unions. This is a good ideal, but we believe that the expressions of the Corporation have undermined the confidence of the Union and the workers. We nonetheless remain willing to engage the GuySuCo in frank discussions and seek to address in a respectful manner the outstanding issues. We are hopeful that better sense will prevail, and the Corporation would treat the workers with greater respect and dignity.

Combat is a publication of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) 59 High Street and Wights Lane, Kingston, Georgetown, Guyana Tel: (592) 227-2091/2, 225-5321, 223-6523 Email: info@gawugy.com Website: www.gawugy.com