Financial assistance is among the practical measures that should be considered by government to assist the thousands of laid off sugar workers, according to People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) parliamentarian Indra Chandarpal.
Speaking at last week’s Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) Conference, ‘Sugar – too big to fail,’ Chandarpal said that while she appreciates persons saying that much has to be done in wake of the government’s closure of the four sugar estates, there have not been many recommendations made to cushion the effects on the workers.
“I am very passionate and I am very, very hurt about what is happening to the sugar workers. I am shocked still that government went ahead and closed operations at the four estates…. I join with others who say that government needs to come up with some action plan. The workers have real situations that are facing them. So, while the SPU [Special Purpose Unit] is tinkering and trying to see what is possible for the future, the workers have current pressing problems and I would like to make some recommendations,” she said.