The recent 19th Delegates Congress of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) passed 14 resolutions including one for compensation from Booker-Tate for its poor management of the East Demerara sugar estates.
In his address President Bharrat Jagdeo said there has been some mismanagement in the sugar industry but that government has also made huge investments to build the new Skeldon Factory and Packaging Plant at Enmore to reaffirm its commitment to ensuring its viability. According to a press release the president also urged workers to adhere to the Grievance Procedure before taking strike action. He also noted that they needed to “pull their weight” to reach the goal of more than 300,000 tonnes of sugar produced per year.
Meanwhile, GAWU Presi-dent Komal Chand pointed to a number of improvements since the Union’s 18th Congress in 2006. He also noted that it has been challenged by industrialisation and globalization and called for action to assist workers and society to respond to them. Chand said the Union was disappointed over the further delay of regional and local government elections as the delays are hindering community development.
As regard unity and trade union movement Chand pointed out that FITUG gave its full support to Sir Leroy Trotman of the Barbados Workers Union who acted a mediator towards reconciling the two umbrella bodies. He also noted that the Guyana Trades Union Congress refused to interact with FITUG and had argued that it does not exist.
Chand also noted that the decline in sugar production over the past four years was primarily as a result of mismanagement by the Management Contractor – Booker-Tate and referred to the Commission of Inquiry on the East Demerara Estate “which confirmed gross neglect of cultivation.” He supported the sudden termination of the Booker-Tate contract last March.
GAWU said Secretary Seepaul Narine presented the Report of the General Council which covered developments and happenings locally, regionally and internationally. Five workshops were then organised to formulate strategies for representation in the coming months. The release also said the Congress supported 14 resolutions education and training, local government elections, climate change, unity of the working class, NIS, the sugar industry, income tax threshold, divestment of health centres, ex-gratia pension, the EU price cut and accompanying measures, annual production incentive, compensation from Booker-Tate, outsourcing and the Guysuco turnaround plan. The congress also elected a 52-member general council to oversee the administration of the Union for the next three years.
The Congress was declared open by Dr Freek B Schiphorst, senior lecturer at the Institute of Social Sciences in Hague, Netherlands, at the Guyana International Conference Centre. His presentation centred on the global financial crisis and its impact on developing countries and working-class populations. It was hosted under the theme ‘Advancing Social Development through Greater Workers’ Democracy’ and wrapped up on August 18 at the JC Chandisingh Secondary School in Port Mourant, Berbice.
