Chris Ram blasts Gov’t, Unions for not helping fired Sugar Workers

By Bibi Khatoon

Political Commentator, Chris Ram launched a stinging attack against the Government, GuySuCo and unions for not doing enough to assist thousands of sugar workers who were fired by the administration.

Ram was invited as the Guest Speaker today at the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) 6th Delegates Conference at GAWU’s head office in High Street, Kingston Georgetown, where he noted that the manner in which several sugar estates were closed was “callous and short-sighted.”

He said that “neither the Government nor the Corporation…even the unions, have put in place any mechanisms or adequate mechanisms to cushion the financial, social, economic, personal impact and consequences on their lives and livelihoods of these thousands of people.”

Ram’s view was also supported by President of FITUG, Carvil Duncan who questioned whether the closure of the estates was an economical or a political move.

He argued that the GAWU and the National Association of Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) have submitted recommendations to make the industry vibrant but they were all ignored.

“Yet recently, I read that they’re now trying to find investors to start back the industry. Clearly, somebody ain’t know what they doing,” Duncan stated.

Some of the recommendations which were made by the unions and political parties were echoed by Ram including the need for the Government to pay workers their full severance, assist in their retraining in other fields, provide lands for agriculture and provide scholarships to their children.

The political commentator took also the time to address the split in the labour movement.

On one side of the divide is the GAWU, the Guyana Labour Union (GLU), Clerical and Commercial Workers’ Union (CCWU) and NAACIE, while there are ten unions on the side of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Additionally, there is the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) “which stands alone and which is heard about once per year when it makes hollow sounds about the imposition of the wage increase for government employees and apart from that…. you hear about the quality of their elections,” the political commentator said.

“Not a single one of the leaders from the unions affiliated with the TUC (Trades Union Congress) is here today. I understand they were invited but whatever it is, their absence smacks of inexcusable pettiness that is unbecoming of mature leaders,” he said.

Ram also alluded to the noticeable discrimination against unions which do not receive subventions from the Government.

This year’s FITUG conference is being held under the theme “For betterment through organization and solidarity.”