Workers attached to the Rose Hall Estate on Tuesday continued their weekly protest against government plans to close it.
As rain soaked their clothing, the workers stood firmly in front of the estate, at East Canje, Berbice, with their placards in their hands, as they usually would do, hoping to be heard.
In their midst, was the General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union, Seepaul Narine, who reiterated to Stabroek News, that the union strongly believes that the Rose Hall Estate and all of the other sugar factories have the potential to continue operating.
Narine said, “We believe that the estate has
all that is required to be kept alive, except for good management.” He stressed that if the interim management committee is to be replaced immediately and a proper management system is to be implemented, GuySuCo’s productivity will improve drastically. He said that the interim management committee seems to be “lost and not have a vision” for the future of the sugar cooperation. “From the production in 2015, 230,000 tonnes plus, and the same administration from May 2015 to the end of 2016 received $23 and a half billion, and they have nothing to show for it, except a lower level of production.”
He also said, that the present management committee is quite arrogant and has been avoiding engaging with the union. “There needs to be better management in GuySuCo. The current management is unable to take the industry to a level of prosperity,” he added while contending, that this is not a difficult task, since the workers all have the drive and experience. He stressed that with proper management this goal can be easily attained, and the livelihood of the sugar workers throughout the country can be maintained.
He insisted that the government is not fully aware as to what will happen to New Amsterdam, Canje and the other surrounding areas. If they are to close the Rose Hall Estate, it would mean putting 2500 workers and their families into poverty, he said.
Narine questioned why the government is putting Rose Hall Estate on the chopping block when it was the only estate to have earned a day’s pay, since the beginning of the new crop in 2017. He pointed out that Rose Hall Estate within a short period of time had reduced its cost of production by 30% for one crop.
He then noted that the government has a responsibility to maintain the livelihood of the country’s populace, however, by closing and privatising estates, they are doing the direct opposite of this. He said that this was a decision that was made with “wrong advice.”
Narine also reminded that President David Granger had publicly stated that sugar would be kept alive and the government should prove this by taking a stand and not closing any more estates.
“We have a living example at Wales Estate, where they said they will go into aquaculture, food processing, [and] rice. All of that are wishful dreams, because so far nothing has happened as yet”, he observed.
According to Narine, while three estates, as of now, seem to be safe from closure and privatisation, this will not always be the case. He noted that once the government is not afraid to close and privatise, this will always remain the top answer to their future sugar related problems.
He stated that it is not too late for the government to review their decision to close and privatise estates, and as such, he pleaded for the government to consider what will happen to the sugar workers and to take a second look at closure.
He emphasised that GAWU is willing to work along with the government to ensure that the interests of the sugar workers are met.
The sugar workers said that they will continue to protest until the government revises the plan of closure or privatisation since they depend on the sugar factory for their livelihood. A hire car driver who was at the protest, stated that he was standing in solidarity with the sugar workers whilst noting that if the estate is to close, he too will suffer.
According to the workers, the protest will expand, as their families, business persons and hire car drivers are expected to join.
