“The Enmore Five did not die in vain”

Jun 19, 2016 AFC Column, Features / Columnists

Thursday June 16, 2016 marked the 68th anniversary of the slaying of the Enmore Martyrs, the five sugar workers – Pooran, Surujballi, Rambarran, Harry and Lallabagee – who were killed in 1948 by colonial police. They were

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo laying a wreath at the Enmore Martyrs Monument

protesting, struggling for better working and living conditions, for civil and human rights.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo delivered a stirring message at the Enmore Martyrs Monument. This is an abridged version.“In 1948 the Enmore Martyrs were claiming the right to better their conditions of work and to join a trade union of their choice. It then became evident that the fight for industrial rights was linked to the fight for political rights, i.e. to have universal adult suffrage, self-government and ultimately, independence.
Today they represent the fire at the top of the mountain that has led the way for an entire generation of freedom fighters. It was their act of rebellion, their act of revolt, their act of defiance that entered them into the annals of Guyanese history, and influenced the actions of successive generations of men and women.
It must be of great comfort to their descendants that the Enmore Five did not die in vain. Their efforts paved the way for improved working conditions in the sugar industry, as well as in other sectors of the economy.
Their struggle resulted in statutory recognition of all trade unions, in collective bargaining for better wages and benefits with employers, and a broad menu of labour laws that regulate wages, holidays with pay, termination of employment, old age pension, national insurance and social benefits.
The 1948 sacrifice ignited the fire that led to Independence from Great Britain; to Republican status; to Constitutional Reforms that enshrined superior rights for all working people in our multi-ethnic, plural society.
Our entire history has been one of struggle, from slavery through indentureship, in colonial as well as post-colonial times. While our country has not yet found the answers to all of our social and economic issues, Guyana still has come a far way.
We know, however, that central to all we did, all we are doing and will do, sugar is the one constant. In 1636 there were about 400 sugar plantations. This was reduced to 238 in 1829. After free labour under slavery ended and the planters had to find paid, immigrant labour, there were widespread plantation closures.
By 1922 the amount of sugar estates reduced to 39 then to 18 by 1967 and 11 in 1976. In 1978 it came down to 10. In 1986/7 the Leonora and Houston/Diamond factories were closed followed by the LBI factory in 2011. This year GuySuCo plans to complete the merger of the LBI factory operations with Enmore, and the Wales factory operations with Uitvlugt. This will reduce the number of factories to 7. GuySuCo has explained that the cost of producing sugar has risen because both the Wales and Enmore factories were grinding at half capacity.
Here was the rationale: The cost of producing sugar at the Demerara estates rose from US30 cents (G$60.00) per pound before 2011 to US54 cents (G$108.00) in 2013. The selling price on the world market was US16 cents (G$32.00) per pound.
The sugar industry as a business has been making tremendous losses. In order to survive, it cannot rely on sugar alone.

DIVERSIFICATION
The plan to diversify production in the sugar belt started to gain traction in the mid 1980’s. There were plans for other crops, for fish farms, for a dairy industry. The other option was privatization, and Booker Tate was brought back to prepare the industry for this. Either way, diversification or privatization, employment in the sugar industry would be affected.
No one wanted, then or now, to put any sugar worker out of work. However, we are at a crucial crossroad; we will be damned if we don’t do anything and damned if we do something. But doing nothing will spell disaster.
This is the substance of the Inquiry into the sugar Industry which was commissioned in July 2015. The Report is now before the Economic Services Committee of the National Assembly and we hope that all parties would consider the recommendations.
The 2015 COI has warned that if steps are not taken soon, not only will sugar perish, it could take the entire economy down with it! Similarly, 20 years ago, advisers to the National Development Strategy (NDS) warned that the high cost of employment in the sugar industry was destined to bring the industry down.
GuySuCo was (and still is) running on credit. The sugar debt rose from $55.3 Billion in 1991 to $91 billion in 2006 and in 2014, it was $118 Billion.
Several strategic reviews and turn-around plans were proposed that promoted modernization and mechanization and the construction of a new factory at Skeldon. Guyana pumped some $50 Billion into the Skeldon factory which in 2016 is unable to heal the paralysis in the sugar industry. It is on life-support.
Every year since 2011, Parliament has voted for huge bailout packages. About $60 Billion from the National Treasury has been diverted to pay wages to GuySuCo’s workers. In the last two budgets the Coalition Government allocated $21 Billion to bail the industry out.
There is no doubt that we must keep the best lands under sugarcane production but we must begin to manufacture value-added products like ethanol, refined and packaged sugar and larger amounts of molasses for the alcohol industry and export market. We must modernize the factories to produce at lower costs. We must include peasant cane-farmers and agro-processors in any plan to divest sugar lands.
Today, with a new vision, we have to be bold and courageous like the Enmore Martyrs. My ancestors first arrived in British Guiana from South India in 1847. I was born here, on this soil, 100 years later. It is in their name, and due to the sacrifice of the Martyrs that I embrace this new vision.
My Government is ready to transform the sugar industry, to diversify plantation lands, and open up new opportunities in the sugar belt.
GuySuCo has a new board and it must intensify consultations with workers and related organisations. We will find consensus on the new direction.
Today I invite all stakeholders – workers, unions, the political opposition, entrepreneurs and investors – to be part of this new vision, to be part of this new, vibrant Guyana!”