Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday called on the government to reverse its decision to close the Wales Sugar Estate by the end of the year as the move would affect the livelihood of many residents.
Speaking to the workers and residents who turned out in large numbers yesterday at the Wales market square, Jagdeo said that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) would not support the closure of the sugar industry. Wales employs 1,600 workers and many of them are likely to be out of a job at year-end.
He said the party would be willing to take to the streets to oppose the APNU+AFC government’s move to close or privatise the estate. GuySuCo has said Wales is the most vulnerable of the estates and the money is just not there to undertake much needed rehabilitation.
Contending that it was a sad day for residents, Jagdeo told them he came out early after the press statement on the closure was released, to let them know that the PPP stands by them.
He lashed out against the “callous” way in which the announcement was made, saying: “One would have thought they would come on the ground and talk to the workers and the cane farmers if they had to pursue this path” but instead the Ministry of Agriculture issued a press release.
He did not realize that he would have to visit the area “under these unusual circumstances because of this