Dear Editor,
As we observe May Day 2024 as every patriot will do as I do, I wish every worker betterment. Workers from field, office and factory, workers who operate in the health and educational sectors, a peaceful and reflective day.
A day to reflect upon the vision and courage of the Father of Trade Unionism in the Caribbean, Guyanese Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow. To honour him as he fought against the mindset of a deep, ingrained and extant imperial policy.
A policy which allowed the exploitation of human beings manifested in the existence of slavery in the dehumanising practice of the enslavement of African people and later the exploitation of the labour of the Indentured Immigrants.
Critchlow’s remarkable work included the representation and guidance given to workers toiling on our sugar plantations. In 1958, then Minister of Labour, Mrs. Janet Jagan proposed that May 1, be designated May Day and that it be a Public Holiday. This was supported by the PNC.
This May Day must help recapture that comradeship which genuinely united the urban workers and the rural estate workers. This is what we must aim for to confront and conquer a modern form of exploitation which is glaring at us in the fate particularly with reference to the extraction of our non-renewable natural resources in particular, gold, diamonds, oil and gas. We see it with clumsy attempts to manipulate our tax system.
On this day, only the genuine coming together and the honest harmonisation of those who represent workers everywhere can allow us to overcome. Workers today everywhere must be saddened by the perception that some of our leaders seem more concerned with the welfare of the mighty than the well-being of Guyanese ordinary workers. The perception is that our society seems not to be overly concerned about the plight of workers who face the stress of an increasing cost of living that in many instances disallows them to enjoy to the full this abundance given by a caring and good Creator.
I have no doubt you will hear the usual platitudes and promises from all sides of our political divide. Though these may sound good, workers today wish to be the beneficiaries of these mighty gifts of God.
This May Day with courage and determination must lay the foundation for workers to unite, Parliamentarians to end this senseless blame game, to put an end to fighting amongst ourselves while the mighty conglomerates are picking us off one by one.
As you sing the Internationale, the first line ‘Arise ye workers from your slumbers,’ needs to be heeded and applied if we are to be the beneficiaries of this largesse. Workers everywhere must overcome this divisive, destructive and dangerous hurdle. The stakes are high, the treasure glitters. We must go after it bravely and with determination.
Happy May Day to one and All.
Yours faithfully,
Hamilton Green
Elder