Berbicians from all walks of life turned out in large numbers yesterday to stand in solidarity with sugar workers to protest the planned closure of the Rose Hall factory.
In addition to sugar workers, many vendors, hire car drivers, office clerks, students, housewives, business owners and even pensioners joined in the picketing exercise, organized by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), along the Canje main road to highlight the large numbers that would be affected by the closure.
For several weeks, hundreds of workers have been marching along the Canje Road to voice their objection to the decision, which is part of the government’s restruc- turing of the beleaguered sugar corporation.
As part of its plans to “scale down” GuySuCo to three estates with three factories that would produce sugar for domestic needs and foreign markets, government formally announced last week that the Rose Hall factory would be closed at the end of this year, while its cultivation would be merged with Albion. The Skeldon estate and factory are to be divested.
However, one difference at yesterday’s exercise was the number of police that were present at the scene of the protest. Ranks from the Reliance Police Station were present as the protestors began their peaceful march.
However, a short while after, a van filled with armed ranks, who were equipped with shields and masks, sped through the protest line.
It was followed by a bus with the Deputy Commander of ‘B’ Division, Errol Watts.
The police contingent did not end there. Also at the scene was a patrol van with several ranks along with a large number of community police. The protestors nonetheless continued their peaceful picketing exercise.
The protestors all assembled opposite the Rose Hall Estate, in Rose Hall, Canje and marched to Sheet Anchor Turn, popularly known as the “Canje Turn.” They then marched back to the estate, where they gathered to be addressed by officials present.
Parents, who were present at the protest, stated that they brought their children with them to let the government see the number of students that will be absent from school if their parents are to lose their jobs.
The many hire car drivers that were present noted that they will also be significantly affected. “If the estate close, them people na gone get money to travel so wah abie this gon do? Abie go punish too,” he said.
One man, who operates a grocery store in the Canje area, stated that most of his customers are “sugar workers” and if they lose their jobs, his business would suffer. “I get children to send to school. What will happen if these people can’t afford to buy things? Who will I sell to?” he questioned.
Meanwhile, vendors who sell at the markets in the county and at schools in the district also voiced their disapproval at the proposed closure.
They noted that if thousands of people in the region are to lose their jobs, the vendors in turn will also struggle to make ends meet. “If them close this estate is na the sugar workers alone go punish, everybody in this region go punish,” one woman said.
Among the officials present at the protest were General Secretary of GAWU Seepaul Narine, Regional Chairman of Region Six David Armogan, and PPP/C Member of Parliament Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo.
‘Not going to take it’
Narine, addressing the emotional protestors, stated that the march was held to show the government how many persons would suffer if it proceeds with the plan to close the Rose Hall factory. He noted that the march was intended as a message to the National Assembly that what the government is doing to Berbice is against the wishes of the people of the region.
He also made reference to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s speech at the commemoration ceremony for the Rose Hall Martyrs, in Rose Hall, Canje, where he declared, “Sugar will not die.” Narine said this was a plot to fool the Guyanese people. “Let them know the people of Berbice, the people of Guyana are saying to them that we are not going to take it,” he added.
“If this journey takes us to Georgetown, we shall see them there and we shall stand up and defend our interests,” he added.
Narine also insisted that in order for a positive outcome, the workers needed to be united throughout the fight. He urged them not to pay heed to the government’s reported plan to send some of the Rose Hall workers to the Albion Estate and for the others to receive severance pay, since, according to him, this was intended to close the estate quietly without a fight from workers.
Narine also noted the heavy police presence at the protest. “I was surprised when I saw this morning a whole vehicle full of policemen dressed in riot clothes,” he said. “Nobody is here to riot,” he added, while urging the police force to understand the plight of the workers and to realize that they are only protesting out of fear of an uncertain future. He said too that there is likely to be an increase in crime and violence as a result of closure of the factory.
Narine reiterated that GAWU had presented plans on how the sugar factory could be saved instead of closed. “Up to this day, none of them have said that we are wrong in that paper, none of them have said that anything cannot be workable in that paper,” he added, while pleading with the government to look at the workers’ reaction and revisit the plan to close in order to ensure the betterment for the sugar workers and by extension the citizens of Guyana.
Grandchildren
Sookram Persaud, a worker attached to the Enmore factory, which is also due to be closed this year, was present at the protest and he stated that what the government was doing to workers was unfair. He explained that he takes care of his grandchildren and is worried about what will happen to them. He encouraged the workers to continue to fight against the planned closure. “The struggle now start. We got to stay and fight and we got to continue to fight,” he said.
Meanwhile, Albion Estate sugar workers held a peaceful picketing exercise in Albion, Corentyne yesterday morning as well, to show their solidarity with their fellow workers at Rose Hall. However, as the Albion workers attempted to march from Albion to the Rose Hall Estate to join the protest in Canje, they were stopped by police officers, since they did not have permission to march along the road. However, this did not stop the workers from attending the protest as the men then hired transportation and hitched drops to the protest in Canje, so as to show their support.
Approximately 2,500 persons were present at the protest. Among them were members of the East Canje Humanitarian Organization. More protests are expect to be held.
