An open letter to the Opposition Leader

Mar 03, 2019 Eye on Guyana with Lincoln Lewis, Features / Columnists

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Re: The politics of deception, separation and unity

Hon. Bharrat Jagdeo:
Please refer to the caption. The Office of Leader of the Opposition is constitutional. It falls under the Executive branch (Article 110), confirming it carries day-to-day responsibility for the administration of the State.
Your press conference of Thursday 28th February, which I watched, presented one of the finest moments to distinguish the office and show what one of Guyana’s leading sons can be. It is noted, at the insistence of reporters, opinions were extracted from you with regard to the stalemate between the Russian management (RUSAL) of the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc. (BCGI) and the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU), which is the representative of workers employed by this company.
The call by the GB&GWU for your voice to be added to the condemnation of the violations of Guyana’s laws and Guyanese workers by a foreign company, which represent clear and present threat to our sovereignty, is not personal. This call is consistent with the duty and responsibility entrusted the office as evident in the Oath you took “…that in the execution of the functions of that office I will honour, uphold and preserve the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

POLITICS OF DECEPTION
It is noted that while solidarity was expressed for the aggrieved workers and a promise to meet with them, there has been no condemnation of RUSAL’s atrocities. Instead, citizens, bauxite workers and their families were told that you have not been informed by the Government on the matter and “don’t know if the labour laws were observed.”
RUSAL’s open contempt for the Constitution and Laws of Guyana and the workers of BCGI, which began in 2009, happened on your watch as President and witnessed no strident action by your administration to rein in the disrespect. It is instructive, there now seems to be a desire to be informed or invited to speak to this particular issue of national import and character, when in many instances pronouncements have been made on issues based on information gleaned from the media and other sources.
I therefore feel compelled to advise Article 147 of the Constitution protects the right to freedom of association, collective bargaining and strike action; and Article 8, which expressly reinforces the constitution as the “supreme law” advises “if any law is inconsistent with it, that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.”
RUSAL management made it clear that the workers who were dismissed for proceeding on industrial action to protest the arbitrary imposition of a one percent wage increase, broke their contract not to stop work. Likewise, Section 23(1) of the Trade Union Recognition Act (98:07) says where a trade union exists, the employer “shall recognise the union” and the two “shall bargain in good faith.” The GB&GWU holds a Certificate of Recognition, dated 26th July 2007. This recognition has not been cancelled.

POLITICS OF SEPARATION
The effort to create a wedge amongst the working class on matter(s) that impact our collective well-being is condemned because it is obsolete, counter-productive to the nation’s development and belongs to the dustbin of history.
To the claim that the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) did not exhibit “energy” when workers were laid off from GuySuCo, Barama and elsewhere, though having no bearing on the extant matters you were asked to address but nonetheless considered worthy for your attention, it is important for the record to be set straight.
There exists evidence of GTUC’s solidarity on the issues. Particularly to sugar, considered a stronghold of the PPP, the GTUC has a stellar record holding governments, including yours, accountable for respecting the workers’ rights and standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in this industry via protest actions, public pronouncements, etc.
Sugar workers know that the GTUC has held to account the APNU+AFC administration, as it did with yours, including when they were laid off and had to resort to the Court in effort to receive their severance benefits. The evidence shows these acts happened under both yourself and the David Granger/Moses Nagamootoo administrations.
You would recall, at the behest of political intervention, yours truly was removed from addressing the rallies that dealt with GuySuCo’s mistreatment of the workers and their unions in the restructuring exercise. The offence being, that whereas it was acceptable to hold the coalition to account for the state of GuySuCo and the workers’ plight, it became heresy to hold your and the Donald Ramotar administrations for similar acts of mistreatment of the said workers and their unions and the role played in bringing GuySuCo to its nadir.
Further, it is disturbing that the reaction to RUSAL’s intensified attacks on our sovereignty is being seen as “crying crocodile tears that laws have been broken.” However belated on the part of government, including yours, individual or organisation, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “the time is always right to do what is right.”

POLITICS OF UNITY
The record will show Guyana’s working class, irrespective of diversity, has united around basic rights and freedoms. And this is a stellar legacy going back to the days of Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham. Both, irrespective of their politics or which side of the legislature they sat, on matters of workers’ welfare, particularly in the presence of foreign threat, their patriotism and solidarity were never questioned or had to be sought out.
Jagan and Burnham crusaded the length and breadth of this country against the mistreatment of Guyanese labour. Their unifying stance has become the political standard bearer for the workers of Guyana and which we still hold dear. Thus, it is not sufficient in the presence of the Russians, practically telling us that Guyana laws are subservient to their corporate interest, for you to remain silent or seek ways to divert attending to the flagrant violations, which GHK Lall calls “industrial terrorism.”
In the instant press conference, you noted the Constitution “is the primary law of the country, without it we are nothing.” These words are deserving to be translated into action that respects and defends every article therein and the citizens for whom it was established to protect. It is therefore not too late for you, presidential hopeful Irfaan Ali and the PPP, as inheritors of Jagan’s legacy, to speak to this matter and join the forces to hold RUSAL accountable for violations associated with its operation in Guyana.
All Guyanese, regardless of perceived differences, must see this as a uniting opportunity to rally around and show the world that in spite of internal conflicts, we can rally against external threats within our borders. This is our country and we must unite to protect it. To this end I leave with you the first stanza of The Song of the Republic-
“From Pakaraima’s peaks of pow’r
To Corentyne’s lush sands,
Her children pledge each faithful hour
To guard Guyana’s lands.
To foil the shock of rude invader
Who’d violate her earth,
To cherish and defend forever
The State that gave them birth”

Regards,
Lincoln Lewis
Citizen and trade unionist of Guyana.

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