Dear Editor,
This is a quick response to comments made by Minister Manzoor Nadir in the Stabroek News article `Workers have applied to have bauxite union derecognised’ (SN 20/3/2010).
The issue before Minister Nadir is not one of recognition; it is about the BCGI’s refusal to deal with the recognized union. Minister Nadir needs to get focused on what his role is and what he is required to do.
Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) is the recognized union until such time as the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board rules that GB&GWU is not the recognized union.
Until such a ruling is made, then the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) is in breach of the laws of Guyana and Minister Nadir and the government of Guyana are encouraging the company (BCGI) to violate the laws that they should be holding sacrosanct. They should be prosecuting anyone who dares to break them.
Minister Nadir is deliberately skewing the issue since the union has not written him at any point about any recognition. As Minister of Labour, for him to be speaking on behalf of the Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board tells of the level of interference taking place. Our Constitutional bodies are not independent and are compromised. The Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board is an independent body headed by Justice Prem Persaud who knows the laws and is expected to uphold them… regardless of how Minister Nadir pompously seeks to undermine the functioning of this constitutional body. We expect Justice Prem Persaud to stand miles apart from the lawlessness.
Fear must no longer stalk this land of ours!
Minister Nadir and Chief Labour Officer Yoganand Persaud are failing the law abiding people of this nation. It is safe to assume that Minister Nadir is not acting unilaterally but has the blessings of the Cabinet of which he is a part and the executive and membership of the PPP who are all silent as this misdemeanour, this act of aggression and social violence is being meted out to members of the GB&GWU and the people of Guyana.
There is an abrogation of constitutional responsibilities and law and order are no longer the guiding principles of our country. Guyana is under siege by the lawless.
We call on Manzoor Nadir as Minister of Labour to stop dealing with issues not within his portfolio and to discharge his responsibility under the laws of Guyana which he has taken an oath to discharge fairly and dispassionately. The workers whose grievances he is refusing to address are taxpayers whose dollars pay his salary and benefits.
He should commence a process to stop the impasse.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
