GAWU and PPP are fooling sugar workers

May 25, 2017 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I am very impressed with GAWU’s reply that was published in Kaieteur News letter column dated May 24th, 2017 under the heading “GAWU has always stood by the side of the sugar workers”. GAWU was trying to reply to my letter that was published in the said newspaper May 20th, 2017, under the caption” PPP and GAWU using underage children for unsavoury political purposes”. I was writing about the PPP-led organised protest that was held in Canje, Region 6.
What impressed me is that GAWU is claiming that the Union was very disturbed to read my letter. I know that all in GAWU and the PPP will be because it is the truth. Those two entities do not like to hear the truth, since their aim and agenda is to spread lies about what’s taking place in the sugar belt. So, I am proud that the truth is now disturbing the union.
At no time or in any line of my letter did I attack the people. I did not reprimand the young man for taking part in the protest. What I did was to tell GAWU and PPP to stop using our children for their own selfish political gains. That was all I did say to the union and its partner. Neither did I fail to tell the truth about what’s occurring in the sugar industry and who is responsible for the situation that is now visited on the workers and their families.
I am no cheerleader for the government, but steps need to be taken if the sugar industry is to survive. GAWU must understand that closing a few estates does not mean that the sugar industry will be closed down entirely. That is what GAWU is telling the workers, they are fooling them in order to gain a way into the hearts of the workers.
I can’t see why joining a protest will make a bankrupt industry survive? So when GAWU talks of people joining the protest, they must tell the nation, what they have been peddling that causes the people to be afraid and join the protest? GAWU needs to come clean with the workers; tell the truth about the situation and what triggered the positive move to save the industry by this government.
GAWU mentioned in its letter that they respect the workers. Well, it took them 23 years to realise that they didn’t respect the workers and their rights. For 23 years under the PPP, GAWU disrespected workers’ rights. For 23 years, GAWU allowed workers rights to go away and have their reps. do whatever they wanted to workers. If GAWU was respectful of the rights of workers, they would never have had closed-door negotiations with the PPP and Guysuco for 23 years without the workers’ input. They would never have allowed NIS to rip off the contributions of workers.
GAWU does not need to remind me of the closure of the estates (Diamond and LBI) under the PPP, which they agreed to. GAWU could have represented those workers who, at the time, lost their jobs and income. GAWU should have ensured that the wefare of those workers’ families was looked after, rather than thrown away to sea. During that closure, workers were transferred to other estates. Today GAWU does not want workers to be transferred because it’s an APNU+AFC Government.
What is the issue now with transferring workers to other estates? In PPP days GAWU encouraged the closure of those estates and neglected the rights of the workers, who paid them (the union) from their sweat and hard earned cash. Today the song of this union is different. I am not bothered by the workers and their families’ resistance; they have the right to protest. What I am bothered about is the way GAWU and the PPP are lying to the workers and their families for political gains? I am bothered about the misinformation that GAWU is spreading among the workers, adding more misery to their lives. This union doesn’t care what happen to the workers and their families’ mental health; all they care about is power in the political area again.
I don’t have to lobby anyone; we all know that the sugar industry is in deep, deep crisis and cannot find its way back if all the estates are kept operational. Maybe, GAWU and PPP need to do more research to realise that. Mr. Editor, it amazes me the way GAWU dealt with my letter; they did not say anything to defend what I wrote, but in their barefacedness, they want to confront me. Please allow me to remind GAWU what I wrote in my last letter. In this way we may know the truth.
They did not tell the workers and protesters that they are the ones who are responsible for the sugar workers suffering. They never told the protesters that under the PPP, they had plans to close the industry but were afraid if this was done, it would jepordise their political future. They never told the workers that GAWU sold out their rights while the PPP was in power. They never told the workers about the estates they closed and that many had lost their jobs and livelihoods.
It is a shame to see the nasty and dirty work that the PPP and GAWU officials are conducting. They are back to “Operation destroy Guyana, if we can’t get power”. PPP only wants power. I will say this: as long as a country is on its way towards improvement and an opposition political party wants power, they will organise mass protests and strikes. I can recall in May 2015 it was the then PPP CEO of GuySuCo, who had wanted to close the entire operations of GuySuCo down. Yet the workers and GAWU didn’t see it fit then to strike.
Abel Seetaram
APNU+AFC
Region Councillor(Region 5)

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