Heart of Palm company, Amazon Caribbean Guyana Limited (AMCAR) today informed the union GAWU that it had decided to shut down its Rosignol, West Bank Berbice plant and will send home the approximately 30-person workforce.
In a statement, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) which represents the plant’s employees said it was stunned by the decision.
GAWU said that the company had for some time been complaining about challenges it was encountered. The union said it was also aware that the company’s principals were in contact with the Government to address some of the difficulties they were confronting. It was, therefore, shocking, GAWU said, when it learnt that AMCAR had decided to close its operations at this time.
The union said that the 30-person workforce was informed simultaneously with the union though the AMCAR has several obligations under the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act.
“For the workers, the news was a bombshell as they have now seek to look elsewhere to secure a livelihood. The GAWU stands with them in this difficult period. The mostly female workforce is saddened by the Company’s decision to terminate them more so as they were highly dependent on their earnings”, the union said.
The union said it has written the company in respect of their obligations and is hopeful that a response will soon be forthcoming.
