Why would sugar workers refuse to work and opt for severance

Apr 18, 2010 Letters

Dear Editor,
I read with incredulity a statement from the management of GuySuCo that it cannot afford to pay severance to Diamond Estate sugar workers.
The argument put forward by management is that these workers are needed on the East Coast, Demerara estate, because there is a shortage of labour.
To entice the Diamond workers to go to these estates, a stipend is offered. Well, something is wrong. Why would workers who are given a reasonable stipend refuse to work and opt for severance? Either the stipend is not sufficient or the workers can get better paying jobs. You cannot force workers to do a job they do not want to do. The incentive has to be sufficient to encourage the workers to work. This clearly has not been happening at GuySuCo.
This row raises serious questions about the running of GuySuCo. For years, GuySuCo has been losing its workforce. What plans were put in place to negate this? Lots of money have been spent in mechanizing came farming. Has this exercise been successful?
One gets the impression that GuySuCo is acting in a dictatorial manner. GuySuCo is not a Gulag or Nazi concentration camp.
The Minister of Agriculture, under whose portfolio GuySuCo falls, needs to insist that GuySuCo’s board present its plan immediately for a turnaround of the company. Enough talk.
If after almost a year, such a plan is not forthcoming, the Minister should fire the board and put more competent people.
T. Bhoj

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