Union body flays Finance Minister’s statement on Haitians

Aug 07, 2019 News

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) is criticizing Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, over recent statements which appear to have made light or trivialize the thousands of Haitians who came in recent months but did not leave officially.

Finance Minister, Winston Jordan

A few Haitians, including women and children, just after arriving at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport

“The Minister, who according to media reports, addressing a press conference hosted by the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) pointed out that he has recognised that foreign workers were undertaking tasks at lower rates-of-pay than Guyanese.
By extension, the Minister, it appears, is advocating that Guyanese work for lower rates-of-pay in order to do the jobs being undertaken by foreigners,” FITUG disclosed.
The remarks by one of the senior Ministers is an incredulous statement and again is yet another manifestation of the Government’s “dim concern” about the well-being of the Guyanese working-class, the union body said yesterday.
It is saddening that the Minister, who is a trained economist, is advocating that his fellow countrymen and women must work for lesser pay in order to be employed. At a time, when the Minister’s Government, through its policies, has engineered the retrenchment of thousands of Guyanese, and at a time where the working-people and their families are having a hard time to make their meager ends meet, the Minister’s contentions can only be seen as a slap in the face of the Guyanese people.”
Jordan is quoted as saying that: “If I (foreigner) am prepared to cut grass for $1,000, but the native (Guyanese) wants to cut grass for $1,500, who are you going to employ? Most obviously, the $1,000…I would go for the $1,000.”
FITUG said that the Minister’s statement comes at the same time as the workers of Guyana celebrate 100 years since the establishment of the Trade Union Movement in Guyana, a period characterized by improved working-conditions and enhanced workers’ rights.
“Now, at this time, we see such an outrageous statement coming from one of our nation’s leaders. What even more bothersome for us is that, it seems, the Minister is unaware that workers must work for certain rates-of-pay as set out by the National Minimum Wage.”
FITUG was convinced that the enactment of such a policy was yet another means to prevent the exploitation of the Guyanese workers.
“Moreover, it goes against the very grain of the ILO Decent Work agenda which the Government of Guyana has undertaken to uphold and further. But the Minister’s expression undermines those commitments.
“Also, it demonstrates that the workers do not have allies in the Administration and further exposes the ‘Good Life’ mantra as cheap propaganda.”
FITUG said it is extremely upset and equally disheartened by the Minister’s statement which can only be seen as an insult to the hard working and decent minded Guyanese people.
“We hasten to remind that our achievements are the product of our people’s struggles over the years and those gains we proudly celebrate and cherish in our day. Forward ever, backward never.”
In recent days, there have deep concerns after it became public that almost 9,000 Haitians entered Guyana in the past seven months.
The big problem is that just over a dozen of them left Guyana although booking return tickets.
Investigations have confirmed a major operation involving several airport employees with little actions by the local authorities.
Over three to six minibuses were said to be leaving a number of city’s transportation services daily for Lethem.
On average, over 50 Haitians were coming.
They would have been taken past several police checkpoints along the way.
The Government has made it clear that the Haitians were using Guyana as a stepping stone.
The Opposition is suspicious they are coming here and being registered so they can vote in the upcoming elections.
The Opposition has also called for a full investigation in what is clearly a situation that also involves human smuggling.

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