This union has always exploited and fooled sugar workers

May 30, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is sad and ironically funny how some people can be selective in conveying historic facts. An operative of the main sugar industry union, in responding to a letter in your newspaper about the union using school children for protest action, stated that the union always stood for the sugar workers’ best interest. My personal experience says otherwise.
FACT: Prior to 1992 when the PPP was in opposition (and controlled the union and they still do), this union called numerous strikes for many days, each time followed by arson of the canes. As a result the industry suffered constant and serious irrecoverable losses. Plus GUYSUCO yielded to whatever financial demands the union made.
FACT: There was constant sabotage e:g: the power house valves were constantly left open and valuable oils were allowed to flow on the ground, wasting a valuable item.
FACT: There was constant theft of valuable machine parts. I personally arrested workers on the location where I worked.
FACT: Cane fires were set clandestinely with long candles joined together to make them longer, then dried cane leaves where placed at the bottom, so by the time the big fire started the arsonist was long gone. Wickedly clever! When security personnel hurried to the site to try and arrest any arsonist, they were at home laughing at us. Shortly after the PPP went into government in 1992, some of these arsonists were bestowed with national honours for exceptional service to the sugar industry.IRONIC!
FACT: When the strikes were called the striking union members sent their unemployed family members and friends to work as scabs. So, in reality, there was no financial loss to the strikers or the union, hence the strikes went on for long periods. These long and regular strikes have put a huge financial burden which has a domino effect on the industry, hence the present situation.
FACT: The workers were used to destabilize the government of the day because the industry was the backbone of the national economy of those days. The PPP got into office in 1992 by blaming the govt. of the day for destroying the economy then. Now they are trying the same spin without factoring in their destructive role in those crucial times. The sugar workers were and still are duped by this union for political gains. Are these people for real? History is history.
The hierarchy of the union, including that letter-respondent knows these facts but conveniently fails to acknowledge them.
Gordon Lewis.
Adelphi Village, East Canje

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