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GuySuCo insulted the nation on Enmore Martyrs Day

Jun 27, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
GuySuCo in its submission to the Government in October, 2016 is seeking to cease providing its medical services that has been in place for almost 65 years. It is saddening mere days after our nation celebrated the heroism of the Enmore Martyrs that GuySuCo is obviously seeking to alter history. On the Weekly Production Incentive (WPI) scheme, the Corporation should be ashamed to call attention to this. For the first time, probably since the scheme’s introduction over 28 years, no worker benefitted from any WPI incentive during the just concluded 2017 first crop.
On the strikes in the industry, we reiterate that the majority of the strikes are confined to workers in a gang and are not all industry-wide as the Corporation seeks to paint. Most of the strikes are related to price disputes that arose from sub-optimal field conditions, and which are deemed legitimate in keeping with the agreement between GAWU and GuySuCo. Interestingly, price dispute strikes pre-dated GAWU’s presence in the industry. Ms. Thomas went on to refer to 150 strikes in 2016 but does not say man-days lost by strikes were the third lowest between 2001 and 2016.
We ask GuySuCo: doesn’t it find it paradoxical that whilst the rate of unemployment is steadily growing it has a difficulty to attract workers? Two (2) years of no-pay increases; shortchanged API in 2015 and no API in 2016; arbitrary cutting down of workers benefits; present and potential threats of closures have certainly not been helpful in the company’s cause in its recruitment drive. We note too the reference to $17M lost daily as a result of strikes, that figure was also quoted in a whole page ad that appeared under the hand of ‘Concerned Guyanese’ in the June 15, 2017 Kaieteur News. It seems the plot is thickening.
We take serious and utmost umbrage with GuySuCo’s view that the GAWU is engaged in sabotage. This is completely unfounded and a figment of someone’s imagination. The necessity of “customs and practices” is also questioned by the Corporation. Its reference, in our view, points to continued efforts to withdraw long established practices which have evolved over the years and are reflective of the unique nature of the operations in the sugar industry. Moreover, the Corporation also seems to question the wisdom of the workers protest actions. But wouldn’t any rational person whose livelihood is threatened take a similar approach. Ms. Thomas and her colleagues ensconced in the comforts of GuySuCo hierarchy would sing a different tune had the shoe been on the other foot.
In passing, Ms. Thomas needs to be reminded that workers and the tax-paying public are still awaiting an account of the big sums of monies given to GuySuCo in 2015, 2016 and this year with no showing of any noticeable or tangible results. It’s quite befuddling that when the company’s intent is to lower even the current low production to 147,000 tonnes per year, it speaks of its efforts to increase production and productivity in sugar. GuySuCo seems to be in a haze of confusion.
GuySuCo says it will demand very soon a “higher level” of service from GAWU. But such a call is best suited to GuySuCo. For instance, we have seen press reports of the intended expenditure of $1.5B of what is styled the Uitvlugt Estate Improvement Programme (UEIP) and the intention to produce 40,000 tonnes sugar by 2020 for which the Union nor the workers of Uitvlugt have not been engaged and remain clueless about at this point in time.
We wish to caution Ms. Thomas that our Union is working and will continue to work in the interest of our members. We are not a vendor or service provider to GuySuCo that the Corporation can seek us to provide them (GuySuCo) with better quality service. It seems the Corporation wishes to go back to the days of Company Unionism. We wish to advise the GuySuCo that that ship has long sailed. GAWU wishes to assure Ms. Thomas that it will continue to appropriately respond in defending and safeguarding the interests of our members and to inform the public about the grave dangers that lurk from the plans for sugar at all possible forums.
Seepaul Narine
General Secretary
GAWU

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