Dear Editor,
I refer to Mr. Roy Ramroop’s letter captioned “Some other issues that concern the workers” (08.01.11). His letter seems part of an orchestrated effort to discredit Ms.Burton publicly and to blame her for things for which she is not responsible. Ms. Burton has stated her position clearly in her interview in the Guyana Review “Coming in from the cold” published on Wednesday, November 28, 2007.
Corruption is rampant in this society, not only in government but also in the trade union movement. Even the PNCR is not immune to charges of corruption. Mr Ramroop’s letter does the reading public an injustice since it focuses on government alone and leaves the Trade Union movement as a collective body blameless.
If government continues to violate the collective bargaining process and labour is incapable of doing anything, it is simply that the movement is weak and its leaders are incompetent. Look at what is occurring in the GLU and the GTU and those matters have been referred to the courts. Could the GTUC not intervene?
Look at what has been handed over to her and I consider it remarkable that she was elected as president of the GTUC when there is no women’s arm functioning in the GTUC. If the Lincoln Lewises, the Andrew Garnetts and all the other leaders of the past, spent all those years and were incapable of correcting all the problems, how could Ms. Burton fix it in six months?
Workers are not only concerned about the problems in government but also in the movement. The movement cannot survive if the male leaders are immature and incapable of dealing with women who are strong and not merely puppets. As a woman, I applaud Ms. Burton’s effort and her courage to confront the issues and to speak her mind. The men should seek help.
Yours faithfully,
Samantha Ali
