Dear Editor,
I remain amazed at the leaders who we assume are intelligent, educated and brilliant, but in spite of these qualities, continue to travel along this road covered with nonsensical pebbles and stones. This illness among leaders could easily be cured, if only they are prepared to take advantage of the lessons human history offers. We’ve made fantastic advances in Science and Technology but a mess of governance. Perhaps someone can provide an answer to this human frailty, or is it a curse? From information available, on May Day 2022 we will again witness a divided, and therefore weakened Trade Union Movement, and of course, the absurdity of the breakaway group describing themselves as independent. Clearly, a misunderstanding of the meaning of independent. That breakaway group, FITUG, will be addressed by our Head of State, in circumstances where the original Trade Union Congress (TUC) is yet to be honoured by the presence or address of a high government functionary, or a member of the big four that constitutes Guyana’s emerging oligarchy.
The TUC should seek an explanation for the call by a Government Minister for ethnic balance in our Security Forces but no such call for ethnic balance in the award of multi-million dollar contracts, allocation of State lands, the appointment to key Boards and the disrespect shown by Government supporters to ordinary members of the Constabulary, including we have been told, a member of the Tactical Services Unit who was on duty for twenty-five hours. The Constable is a worker and the TUC must have the audacity to come out openly in his defence, particularly since the Police Service Commission has not yet been constituted and the Federation seem to be a toothless tiger. The Constable who was photographed by this advisor asleep after eighteen hours on duty has been issued with a charge sheet and already endorsed. He now faces dismissal. He cannot be represented by anyone above the rank of Sergeant. Of course, a question we must ask is how come an advisor is given TSU security at his place of residence? This itself is an abomination. The TUC must demand an explanation as to why the Commissioner of Police should post a member of the Tactical Service Unit with an assault rifle to perform guard duties of a ministerial advisor, let alone having the rank having to work without relief for 25 hours.
Be reminded of the well-known poem by prominent Lutheran Pastor, Martin Niemuller, referring to his miraculous escape from German atrocities, which he observed as follows “ In Germany, they came first for the Communist, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for a Trade Unionist and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.” This May Day all workers must take wise counsel from the above experience. Both sides must know that May Day ought to be a rallying point for workers in the field, office, factory and security forces, where with one voice a clarion call must be made for better wages and conditions in circumstances where for the first time, since Independence, there is an abundance of money to make every worker in the public sector comfortable. I would also have hoped that on this May Day, a combined Trade Union Movement would have also demanded that the Private Sector, the new darling of the Government, give their workers a better deal. I hope President Ali in his May Day Address will announce a minimum 50% increase for all workers in the public sector and a similar increase of pensions.
On this May Day, we should also honour the valiant workers and writers in the independent media, who have embarked on a relentless but noble crusade to expose the disadvantages that exist in the Agreements with Oil and Gas among others. One patriot has moved to the Court for justice. Workers on May Day, whether you gather at the National Insurance Scheme ground or in the compound of Critchlow Labour College, should make a silent prayer for the success of these workers in the media that they continue to seek justice fearlessly and I remember it was once said by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, that the “pen is mightier than the sword.” The TUC should resolve to fight against this ploy of non-unionized contract workers and insist on the enactment of modern petroleum oil legislation designed to protect workers and their families. To every worker in the cane fields, in the rice/paddy fields, in the goldfields, in the ground provision and vegetable fields, to those who work as domestics, in hospitals, in our schools, in the transport sector, our technicians, those who watch over us at nights, the security forces and workers whether you use your hands or your heads, I wish you a thoughtful May Day and be prepared, if necessary to march and agitate peacefully so that Guyanese who are indigenous, who were enslaved and who were indentured, do not surrender our patrimony to the wilds and machinations of those who wish to have us recolonized. Brothers, Sisters and Comrades, beware of Greeks bearing gifts. Happy Labour Day.
Sincerely,
Hamilton Green
Elder