The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) is mulling meeting with the main political parties that might be contesting general elections next year to ascertain their plans for the sugar industry so they can inform their members.
Both the union’s President Komal Chand and General Secretary Seepaul Narine made the pronouncement at GAWU’s end-of-year press conference on Friday.
“A major topic of discussion at this time, concerns the motion of no-confidence which was approved by the National Assembly on December 21. While we noted pronouncements by His Excellency President David Arthur Granger, among other government officials, that National and Regional Elections would be held in keeping with the constitutional requirements, we see too some persons offering differing views,” Narine said. He said that the union urges that the verdict of the motion be accepted and the requisite measures for elections be put in place.
Narine called on the Guyana Elections Commission to put adequate systems in place to ensure that the Official List of Electors is reflective of legitimate electors, that the people’s franchise is properly recorded and that the elections are deemed free and fair, and also free from fear.
Narine and Chand were questioned on potential appeals to GAWU’s membership by the main political parties.
“Indeed we are concerned about the political parties and the promises made before that were not fulfilled. We are meeting our general council and we have this matter to discuss. How we shall treat it, whether we consider meeting with the political parties that will be contesting the elections as to their agenda and programme for dealing with the sugar industry. We have three operational factories, there is still hope that three of the shuttered estates – Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore – will operate once again under a private engagement. We are hoping to hear their views on that and not only hoping they operate again but ensuring they become profitable,” Chand said. He emphasised that he hopes the sugar industry will be given the requisite attention and focus.
Narine echoed similar sentiments and said that what the sugar workers who are still in the industry and those who have been sacked are facing, is reality at this point in time.
“What is before the sugar workers now is the fact that their lives have been destroyed, the fact that they were promised so many things and nothing has been fulfilled except their dreams have been shattered. For many, they could not afford to send their children to school… So what is before them is reality, reality from what they were promised,” Narine said.
He added that at the end of the day, it is the democratic right of their members to vote for a party of their choosing.
Narine emphasised that with regard to seeking an engagement with the respective political parties, they will be discussing the matter at their general council meeting.
“We have to determine what their take is and would we be able to have at least three or four estates once again operational. Would we be able to secure those that are operating and how do we look at the employment situation particularly for those workers who lost their jobs? Those will be important positions for us to make a pronouncement on and no doubt, let our members know that this is the take by the particular party and this is the take by another one and then they will make their own choice,” he said while emphasising that the union cannot tell their members which party to vote for and would not.
Chand, meanwhile, said that a decrease in members due to the closure of estates has been affecting the union since they have recorded a significant reduction of contributions.
He said the position is exacerbated by the fact that GuySuCo has not increased the wages of their workers which, oftentimes, are synonymous with an increase in contributions by workers.
“So we are severely affected with less contributions. Nevertheless, we recognise the plight and the high cost of living and we cannot increase their dues until they have some increase in their wages and salary,” Chand said.
