-Chand urges at FITUG rally
By Gaulbert Sutherland
Subsidising some food items, restricting the export of certain commodities, price caps and anti-hoarding measures are what FITUG unions would like to see action on by the government, General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) Komal Chand says.
Speaking at the Federation of Independent Trade Union of Guyana (FITUG) May Day Rally on the National Park tarmac, Chand said that the world is witnessing a staggering increase in food prices and blamed several factors including increasing consumption in some countries, high oil prices, the “craze” towards bio-fuel production and global warming. Noting that local workers are being affected by high food prices too, he said that the union would like to see the government subsidizing certain food items. The unionist also called for a national task force to monitor the situation “to see what can be done”.
Once again, even as the union leaders called for unity, their actions spoke otherwise as after starting off together, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and FITUG separated and held their own rallies. Hundreds from the various unions that are a part of FITUG gathered at the National Park tarmac to be addressed by that union’s leadership. However, Grantley Culbard, General Secretary of the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union, who was listed to speak, was not present and no explanation was offered except that he was “unable to be here at this time”. Chand and President of FITUG and Guyana Labour Union (GLU) Leader Carvil Duncan spoke to mostly lukewarm responses from the crowd. GLU’s President General Robert Corbin attended the GTUC rally. The union has been divided over the GLU’s decision to join FITUG.
In his address also, Chand, stating that the issue of crime cannot be ignored and noting the hosting of several activities including the Cricket World Cup, declared that when it was thought that it was over, “organized crime and well-supported banditry” reared up again, pointing to the massacres at Lusignan and Bartica. He expressed disappointment that the Stakeholders motion did not get the approval of some in parliament.
He also addressed the issue of the Critchlow Labour College (CLC) and declaring that it was established to provide education for workers and this objective no longer has prominence at the institution, asserted that it needs to rediscover its objectives.
He said that the union would call on state funding for CLC to be resumed once the board is accountable and operates with transparency and in workers’ interests. He said that a “truly representative board” should be installed at the college.
Chand also extended his union’s solidarity to the people and government of Cuba and wished that country’s former leader, Fidel Castro, “that outstanding revolutionary”, good health. He stated that Guyana should seek to strengthen ties with its immediate neighbours.
Bothered
Meantime, Duncan, in echoing the issues Chand’s spoke about, said that workers are faced with “serious difficulties” and declared that he was bothered about the fact that the cost of living was rising everywhere and there are persons who tell people that it is a situation unique to Guyana. He said that just as there was a Stakeholders forum on crime there should be one on food prices. “We need such a committee now to look at food prices that are affecting the workers”, he stated, adding that workers need better wages, cheaper food, cheaper electricity, cheaper water and there is a need to discuss this. He asserted that for too long decisions have “been made only by some, it must now be made by all”.
On CLC, Duncan asserted that the “dilemma” that the institution found itself in was of its own making and said that he had warned them that they cannot tell unions that they must be accountable “when they are derailing accountability”. He said that the institution is a workers’ college and it must have a broad-based board representing various sectors. He said that unless that is done, the college will remain in the “dilemma”.
Addressing the possible lifting of the National Insurance Scheme pensionable age, he said that it must be accepted that “we are not alone” pointing out that Barbados is increasing their pensionable age from 60 years to 64 but doing it in a gradual process. He added though that there is a problem when the retirement age is still 55 years and he stated that a mechanism should be considered where the retirement age should be gradually raised.
He told the workers that in their economic and social advancement, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) had failed them. He declared that unity is the most fundamental thing in the trade union movement.
Towards the end of the programme, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds along with Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir arrived but did not address the crowd. Also present were General-Secretary of the PPP, Donald Ramotar, Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, and Minister within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran.
