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No wage increase was promised to sugar workers—Agri Minister
Kaieteur News-The Government has made no promises to sugar workers with regard to an increase in wages and salaries but according to Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, “we will ensure that we work with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to see what we can do…”
The Agriculture Minister made these and other remarks on the sidelines of a community consultation over the weekend in Maida, East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six). There, he was asked to respond to the stalemate with Uitvlugt sugar workers over benefits.
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha
Those workers downed tools this past week to protest what they called stalled wages and salaries talks—despite progress being made in the sugar industry.
According to the subject minister, government is awaiting a report on the matter from the Chief Executive Officer of GuySuCo, Sasenarine Singh.
The Agriculture Minister in his sideline remarks, sought to point out that agreements on wages and salaries are ultimately the responsibility of GuySuCo and the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU). With this in mind, Minister Mustapha noted that the Government does not interfere with management and union negotiations.
Accordingly, Minister Mustapha said GuySuCo’s ability to pay the increases would take into account investments, which the corporation has made since August, to revitalize the estates.
He told reporters that government has been pumping funds into the industry over the last nine months to develop and recapitalize the industry and “we are starting to see results already from some of the estates.”
The Albion and Blairmont Estates were lauded for making three additional days of pay due to the enhancement of the factories through critical capital works.
Workers, GAWU said, held out that their efforts are partially responsible for the improvements heralded hence their position that they ought to receive some due reward for their contributions.
The Union for its part said it remains open to frank discussions with the Corporation while adding that, “GAWU and the workers are eager to find a settlement that is fair to all sides.”
GAWU in lamenting the state of affairs with regard to the wages talks had this past week noted that as a result of the pay freeze, which they suffered during the term of the Coalition, some workers were earning just above the national minimum wage.
This, the workers reportedly claimed, is very much insufficient to take care of their families.
Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha used the occasion to indicate that plans are on-stream to establish infrastructure such as roads, to facilitate quicker delivery of canes from the fields to the factories.
Under this year’s budget, $2 billion is allocated to execute critical capital works at GuySuCo as part of the Government’s efforts to diversify the sugar industry that was hamstrung by the previous administration.
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