Workers of the decades-old Wales Sugar Estate, West Bank Demerara and their families cried early Sunday morning when they heard the sounding of the horn that signalled the closing of the estate.
To date, neither the government nor the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has given the hundreds of Wales workers who are now without jobs any concrete information on diversification or alternatives at the estate. The government and GuySuCo have been repeatedly pressed to provide this information but there appears to be nothing solid.
During a visit to the area yesterday, a worker, Sultan Hussain told Stabroek News that the “horn blow for about five minutes,” indicating that the “last bundle of cane was lifted.”
Another worker said they were emotional as the reality finally hit them that the jobs that they depended on to support their families had “come to an abrupt end.”
In January this year, government announced the planned closure of the estate via a press release. The closure was aimed at relieving some of the financial burden on the beleaguered sugar corporation. The workers and their families, with support from the main sugar union, the Guyana Agricultural & General Workers’ Union, held several protests, marches and candlelight vigils in an effort to get the government to visit them.
Although they were “counting down the days” and anticipated the closure, they were becoming anxious and frustrated but were still hopeful that the government would rescind its decision.
Now that it was finally closed, they expressed feelings of disappointment and sadness – disappointed that the government never consulted with them about its intention or to tell them about their plans for diversification.
Linden Toney, a boiler charge-hand, was on duty to witness the final operation and he too burst into tears.
Being the “breadwinner of the home” and the father of a son who is sitting the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate next year, he thought about the impact the closure would have on his family.
He worried about the utility bills he has to pay, providing food and other basic necessities and most of all, about finding another job.
“Now they bringing VAT on the water and light bills. The minister [of Finance, Winston Jordan] said that if you (incur less than) $10,000 for light and $1,500 for water you don’t have to pay VAT, but I can show you my bill, I pay more than that for both,” he told this newspaper.
His wife, Wanica told SN that she was at home when she heard the sound of the “whistle blowing” she knew it was the last she would be hearing it.
“My heart rate started to increase and I felt sad for my family, for all the mothers with small children and for the women who are not working, knowing this month would be the last pay from the estate,” she said sadly.
The couple pointed out that that type of blowing was normally associated with sadness, explaining that whenever a “worker dead and the funeral is passing the horn would blow like that.”
Wanica feels that “a lot of things would start happening in the area now,” referring to stealing that may be as a result of unemployment. But she is praying and hoping for the best.
