Hundreds of former Rose Hall Sugar Estate workers who were let go by the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), despite the weather, protested with their families on Tuesday for their severance payments which have been outstanding even though their last day of employment was December 29, 2017.
The workers protest action was endorsed by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) and several non-governmental organisations.
A one-minute of silence was held in honour of the two former workers who took their lives after being sent home.
The workers claimed that the Government has not treated them as it had treated Cabinet members who were given a 50 per cent salary increase while they (sugar workers) received no increases for two and a half years.
Region Six Chairman David Armogan, while addressing the rally, said it is time for all the people of East Canje and its environs to unite, claiming that the decision to send home close to 1000 workers was a political one.
He said if the Government is of the belief that the sugar estate needs to be closed in order to make the industry viable, then the welfare of the children of the affected community should be considered.
According to the Regional Chairman, GuySuCo has the capacity to turn around, adding that the problem with the sugar company is not an economic one but rather it was a political decision to send the workers home. The aim, he believes, was to destroy one of the PPP’s strongholds.
He pointed out that 5700 workers could have remained in their jobs if Government had put some of the money it spends on national holidays like Mashramani, into the sugar industry.
Meanwhile, GAWU’s General Secretary Seepaul Narine called on Government to make public its plans to get money to pay the workers their severance packages.
Narine said it is not too late for Government to withdraw the letters given to the workers.
GAWU’s President Komal Chan also lashed out at the Government, starting with the Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan whom he accused of being behind the order blocking the protesters from airing music as they walked peacefully along the road.
He said many others are being given permission to use loud music to advertise what they are doing.
The GAWU President noted that another protest will be held on Thursday at Skeldon.
While calling for support, he signalled to the police that they should not prevent them from having musical complement.
PPP/C executives Gail Teixeira and Bishop Juan Edghill who were on hand for the protest chided the current Administration, highlighting that it did not keep its promise to workers.
Teixeira said that Govt promised a change while campaigning for the 2015 General and Regional Elections. The change we have seen, she said, is not the one that was promised.
