Dear Editor,
Ministers Volda Lawrence and Keith Scott are self-serving and contemptuous of workers. Ms Lawrence is a member of the PNCR and under the leadership of Desmond Hoyte rose to the rank of the party’s leadership. This minister would have been aware of Hoyte’s intolerance of what he called “executive lawlessness” during the Bharrat Jagdeo administration. She served during Hoyte’s agitation for good governance and the stamping out of corrupt practices which had to do with wanton violation of laws, transgression of citizens/workers’ rights, and disregard for established rules and time-honoured principles.
In 2010 both Ms Lawrence and Mr Scott voted in the National Assembly in favour of a no-confidence motion brought against then Minister of Labour Manzoor Nadir. This motion had to do with Mr Nadir’s dereliction of duty in upholding the labour laws and ensuring the rights of BCGI workers consistent with Section 23 (1) of the Trade Union Recognition Act. This motion was brought during the leadership of Robert Corbin as PNCR Leader and Leader of the Opposition.
The current struggles of workers employed by the Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) to have representation by their union of choice, the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) is not new to these ministers. This struggle started in 2009.
The present engagements being conducted by these ministers with BCGI management on workers’ welfare are a clear violation of the laws and their mandates. First, the workers have a legally recognised union to represent their interests, which both ministers have taken a deliberate decision to ignore. Their action constitutes clear contempt for the law, the workers, and their trade union.
Secondly, the role of the ministry is wherever their exist workers, be they unionised or non-unionised, they must ensure the laws are being respected, enforced, and where necessary they should conciliate in disputes. It is not the role of the ministers to be negotiating with employers on behalf of workers, something which Scott and Lawrence are guilty of.
When the BCGI workers informed the ministers that their greatest concern is not being allowed their right to trade union representation, and Linden Prince, Senior Safety Officer of the management said the company was never approached by employees for union representation, both ministers should have said then and there that the GB&GWU is the workers’ union.
Further, by law workers do not have to request of management trade union representation, that request is made to the Trade Union Recognition Board, which both ministers are aware of. Minister Lawrence also was the one who appointed this Board.
This society needs to be aware that the BCGI workers’ continued struggles to have their rights upheld under laws have taken another twist, though not new. It is no longer a matter of respecting the High Court’s ruling to re-issue letters to commence arbitration, ignorance of industrial relations practices, or respect for the law. This matter has now moved to another level.
The Jagdeo administration is not in office but the self-serving tendencies, executive lawlessness, and contempt for citizens/workers’ rights that were the hallmarks of that administration have become the hallmark of some in the APNU+AFC administration.
The struggle for good governance must continue. It was not achieved on 11th May 2015. That date merely marked a new phase in the struggle to bring about a better society, though at times some may understandably question if it was worth the while.
Yours faithfully,
Lincoln Lewis
